Amazing Stories of Care - Western Pennsylvania Healthcare News

HEALTHCARE
WEBSITES AND
THE INTERNET:
Evaluating
Healthcare
Websites and the
Internet
Page 8
LEGAL UPDATE:
Big Change in
Employment
Eligibility Verification
Affect Healthcare
Providers
Page 10
CODE:
Seven Area
Healthcare Facilities
to Compete for
Healthcare Security
Awards
Page 12
DEPARTMENTS:
AROUND THE REGION Page 28
VENDOR PROFILES Page 34
INVESTORS’ LAB Page 35
CAREER OPPORTUNITIES Page 39
DATEBOOK Page 41
RESOURCE DIRECTORY Page 42
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DECEMBER 2007 • $3.00
MARKETING
Amazing Stories of Care
from Memorial Medical Center
2007 IN REVIEW
Mark Baldauf’s Kindergarten photo
All I Really
Need to
Know (About
Marketing)
I Learned in
Kindergarten
BY MARK BALDAUF, APR, CBC
Fifteen years ago, Robert Fulghum
penned a simple credo – a credo that
became the phenomenal #1 New York
Times bestseller: All I Really Need to Know
I Learned in Kindergarten. Fulghum lists
lessons normally learned in kindergarten
classrooms and explains how the world
would be improved if adults adhered to
these same basic rules learned during childhood,
i.e. sharing, being kind to one another,
cleaning up after themselves, and living
“a balanced life” of work, play and learning.
As in life, there are some very simple
lessons about marketing I learned a long
time ago that still hold true in this day and
age, even in the current, complex world of
the healthcare industry. Some have characterized
this era as “The Perfect Storm” – a
collision of factors about to simultaneously
impact the healthcare industry like never
before. I need not cite each one here as they
are all too painfully obvious to you. Yes, the
Continued on page 6
According to Merriam-Webster, the
definition of a caregiver is a simple
one, “a person who provides
direct care.” At Memorial Medical Center
in Johnstown, however, the definition, as
demonstrated by the actions of its caregivers,
is much broader in scope. Many
employees take it upon themselves to not
only provide direct medical care to
patients, but also serve as a support system-
tending to the physical, mental and
emotional needs of patients and their
families.
“Our employees can nominate their
coworkers for awards for their good
deeds,” says Kathy Gorzelsky, Service
Excellence, Memorial Medical Center.
Lisa Burkey
Scott Roberts
“We get flooded with these nominations
because we have a staff that truly cares
about the patients and families that walk
through our doors. Our employees really
touch lives, and their stories have a way
of warming your heart.”
For instance, Tonya Spada-Dixon, a
dietician at Memorial, received a call
from a patient’s wife. She was crying,
upset that her husband had been admitted,
but didn’t have his pajamas or personal
belongings. The woman also
explained that she didn’t have any way to
deliver her husband’s belongings to him.
Although she didn’t know how the
woman got her number, Tonya sympa-
Continued on page 33
Tonya Dixon
Diana Johns
Marc Cammarata
Human
Resources: A
Retrospective
On 2007
BY MARC CAMMARATA
It’s always interesting as we near the end
of the year to pause and take stock of
some of the more noteworthy events
that have occurred during the past twelve
months. So, as a way of saying “farewell”
to 2007, I thought a review of some of the
notable news from the world of human
resources would be in order.
The year began with President Bush
signing the Health Opportunity Patient
Empowerment (HOPE) Act that liberalized
many of the rules governing the
establishment and funding of health savings
accounts (HSAs). Under the HOPE
Act, rollovers from flexible spending
accounts and health reimbursement
arrangements can now be made to HSAs
through the year 2011. In addition, the
law raised the maximum HSA contribution
and permitted individuals who
become covered under an HSA-eligible
plan in a month other than January to
make the maximum HSA contribution for
the year based on their coverage in the last
month of the year.
In Spring, the United States Department
of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics
reported that the number of U.S. workers
Continued on page 19
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2 December 23, 2007 hospitalnews.org Hospital News

Publishers Note...
Holier Than Thou
By Harvey D. Kart
Letter to
the Editor:
As a Jewish man married to a Catholic woman, I have a confession
to make: I don’t know enough about Islam, Buddhism, or
Mormonism to enter into even the most rudimentary discussion
of any of them.
But this much I do know: I have met enough individuals of different
faiths, as well as my fair share of atheists and agnostics, to
know that you don’t have to attend a particular church to be a good
person, nor does subscribing to another set of beliefs automatically
make you evil.
This is in no way meant to suggest that someone can choose a faith
in much the same way they do a fast food restaurant (often basing the
decision more on marketing and giveaways than quality). I would
hope that most, if not all, such choices ultimately rest on how strongly
the tenets of a faith resonate with the individual. Or perhaps the
choice isn’t made so much by the person as much as the person is chosen
by a Higher Power.
I’ll leave all that to the philosophers, theologians, and panelists on
The View to figure out.
But, being unable to avoid an avalanche of coverage of the campaign
for the presidency, I’m becoming increasingly offended by how much
attention is paid to what church a person attends (or doesn’t attend)
and how little on how a person treats others. Did Barack Obama spend
time as a youth in a Muslim school How
devout of a Mormon is Mitt Romney
Which Christian candidate has the
strongest conservative credentials
My concern with this approach to judging
a person’s ability to lead a nation is that,
because we live in a pluralistic society
where we espouse freedom of religion, by
its nature it minimizes the rights of every
citizen to be treated fairly and equally.
To look at it simply, we need only turn to
our own industry, health care. None of us
would provide a better level of care to
someone based on the disease he has. We
don’t “prefer” psoriasis suffers over cancer
victims. Nor do any but the most prejudiced healthcare professionals
treat representatives of select economic, religious, or racial groups better
than others and, when it’s discovered this is happening, most often
it is stopped. It’s not just illegal; it’s wrong and a violation of all that
healthcare professionals stand for.
A few weeks ago, at the height of the busy holiday season (which,
like the race for the presidency, seems to come earlier each cycle and
is increasingly mind-numbing), a woman stopped her car in front of
me, in the middle of a strip mall parking lot. There was no room on
either side to go around her, especially because she left her door open
as she exited her car and walked about 20 yards to a mailbox. Nor
could I back up, as about a dozen other vehicles were stopped behind
me. So we sat and waited. This woman had no concern whatsoever for
how her selfish act might affect any of the people idling behind her.
Do you suppose she was Jewish, Muslim, or Christian Does she
attend services often Does she raise her children in a particular faith
Does she take some kind of smug pride because she worships the
“right” deity
I don’t think you need a Ph.D. in religious studies to understand
that the cornerstone of most major religions is love for others and that
faith without action is worth little. The various faith traditions present
in America should unite, not divide, us. But, for too many people,
faith is seen as a simple way to choose sides
in the age-old game of “Us vs. Them.”
(Maybe that’s why on Sundays it seems
there are fewer people in church than at
football games, where it’s easier to figure
out who is on what side.)
Problem is, at a time when our country
could use all the prayers it can get, we seem
incapable of raising our voices together.
We’d rather shout at each other.
Harvey Kart
You can reach Harvey Kart at
hdkart@aol.com or (404) 975-4317.
I am pleased to inform
you that I received today
the official announcement
that WPHIMSS is
the recipient of the 2007
Chapter Innovations
Grand Prize Award; the
award will be presented
at the 2008 Annual
Conference. The award
application submitted
focused on our PR and
communications efforts.
I wish to thank all of
you, particularly Diane
and Sean O’Brien and our
friends at Hospital News
and ADVANCE for
Healthcare Information
Executives, for allowing
us to be recognized for
advancing the chapter
and the Society
through our communications
efforts.
Barry Ross, LFHIMSS,
DSHS, President,
WPHIMSS
barryhimss@msn.com
or (412) 257-2967
Coping with Grief
During the Holidays
The holiday season—Thanksgiving, Christmas, Chanukah,
Ramadan, Kwanza and New Year’s—can be a difficult time of the
year for those who are dealing with the end of life or who recently
suffered the loss of a loved one.
VITAS bereavement experts advise that there is no right or wrong
way to celebrate, but acknowledging the need and preparing in
advance can help people cope with their grief.
We offer services and support at this difficult time—from grief
support groups and memorial events to literature and other resources.
VITAS can help.
For information, please call
412.799.2101 or
toll-free 1.800.620.8482
www.VITAS.com
Hospital News hospitalnews.org December 23, 2007 3

Marketing
Viral Marketing
Viral Marketing,
that’s right, viral
marketing. It’s a
health care term that is
now being utilized as a
marketing term. If you
have ever seen one of
those electronic maps of
the world that models the
spread of, for example, the
avian flu, you know what I
mean. It starts with a few
red dots and within seconds,
the entire country BY NICK JACOBS
and then the world is covered
in flashing red lights
suggesting the devastating
affects of a pandemic that will kill over 60
million people.
Viral marketing is virtually the same
concept sans the death and destruction.
The geniuses behind Facebook.com have
created a near perfect tool for spreading
the word in a viral fashion. Who cares,
you ask As a hospital administrator or
marketing expert, you should care! It is
potentially a phenomenal way to market
your product directly to the appropriate
demographic.
How does it work Simply go to the
Facebook.com web site; then you join, at
no cost. The first opportunity that you are
given is to invite every person in your
personal E-mail address book to join
Facebook, and then B-I-N-G-O, hundreds
and hundreds of new Facebook participants
are now participating as well. Once
you’ve joined, you have an opportunity to
create like minded groups of individuals
and, once again, be it your University,
your city or your hobby, Facebook now
has specific markets to target to capture
your imagination, your personal likes and
dislikes.
If Facebook decides to sell off their
members listed as alumni of, for example,
Pacific University, they would literally
have thousands of names,
addresses and lists of what
the members like, i.e.,
favorite movies, favorite
pass times, favorite blogs.
This then produces the
demographic information
necessary to create a near
perfect marketing profile.
It’s a virtual demographic
Fort Knox as the participants
freely share some
relatively intimate details
of their likes, photos of
their vacations, detailed
information about their
education, et al.
Facebook started as a way for kids,
both high school and college, to see pictures
of each other to determine if they
wanted to date.. They could look up the
person that interested them, check out
their likes and dislikes and, determine if
the person was someone with whom they
share enough common interests to begin
a cyber relationship.
Interestingly, however, Facebook is
now growing exponentially. Business professionals,
businesses and adults of all
ages are joining. One estimate is that they
might have as many as 200,000,000 participants
within the year end. Explore it.
It’s an amazing introduction to the future
of viral marketing. Facebook.com.
F. Nicholas Jacobs is President
of Windber Medical Center and
the Windber Research Institute.
Mr. Jacobs has been featured as
a leading spokesperson for healthcare
initiatives and change and featured
prominently in the Wall St. Journal and
other leading publications.
His blog is also one of the most widely
followed healthcare blogs in the nation.
Nick can be reached at
jacobsfn@aol.com or visit windbercare.com
Shriners Hospitals Launches
National Marketing Initiative
Shriners Hospitals for Children has launched its first system-wide
branding initiative that communicates the leadership of its international
system of 22 hospitals in providing expert pediatric care since
1922.
As part of its branding, the hospital system is undertaking a national
advertising and marketing campaign – the first in its 85-year history
– which is expected to significantly increase national awareness of
Shriners Hospitals and its mission, as well as the number of children it
serves.
In announcing the new marketing campaign, Ralph W. Semb,
Chairman of the Board of Trustees for Shriners Hospitals for Children,
said, “We believe one look and one voice is the best way to communicate
the expert care we provide, our achievements in research, and the
superior training and education we provide our staff and medical community.”
The Shriners Hospitals brand is embodied in its new logo. Drawing
from the former logo of a rear view of a Shriner carrying a little girl and
her crutches, the new logo celebrates that legacy with a forward-facing,
refreshed look symbolizing Shriners Hospitals as a progressive organization.
Kane Focuses on Referral
Source Relationships
Referral source relationships have long
been an important consideration for
the John J. Kane Regional Centers.
More recently, though, Kane has tweaked
its marketing approach to place an even
greater emphasis on building, maintaining
and strengthening relationships with referral
sources. Charlene Flaherty, director of
admissions, said that Kane’s proactive
approach involves eliciting input and feedback
from the community it serves.
“We really have tried to find out what the
needs of our referral sources are,” Flaherty
said. “We have made it a point to get out
into the community to talk with them. By
doing so, we know we are providing the
services that people in our community really
want and need. It’s also how we find the
niches that we always seek to fill. That’s
Dennis Biondo
how, for instance, the Transitional Care
Unit at Scott came about.”
The Transitional Care Unit (TCU) is a perfect example of how Kane uses referral
source feedback to guide its direction. It was after pouring over information received
from the referral sources that Carolyn Pilewski, administrator at Kane Scott
Township, and Dr. Mario Fatigati, medical director of the Kane Regional Centers,
saw the need in the community for a rehabilitation unit and initiated the development
of the TCU.
Dennis Biondo, executive director of the John J. Kane Regional Centers, said that
the strong focus on referral sources allows Kane to fulfill its main goal – serving the
needs of the residents of Allegheny County. By working so closely with its referral
sources, Biondo feels Kane has become a true partner in fulfilling the health care
needs of its neighbors.
“Who knows better about the health care needs of Allegheny County residents
than the frontline health care professionals who interact with the community at large
on a daily basis,” Biondo said. “We want to provide the best care and services for our
community. In order to do so, an ongoing dialogue between the community and
Kane is imperative.”
That open dialogue also includes constructive feedback on potential areas of
improvement. Flaherty said that type of feedback is where Kane has found its best
opportunities for growth.
“We listen to them,” Flaherty said. “We like to hear the good things, but it’s usually
in the feedback we receive about things that we might not be doing as well as
we could that we find our best opportunities to make Kane Regional a better community
partner.”
Flaherty also noted that the marketing process at Kane isn’t the exclusive job of
the executive team or the admissions department. She said that all Kane employees
play an important role in that effort, even if it’s by doing something as simple as
greeting guests and residents with a warm smile and a hearty welcome.
“We try to stress that from the folks in housekeeping through the nurses and right
up to the executive staff, we need to be putting our best face forward,” Flaherty said.
“It’s not just us, but everyone in the building who are our best marketers. It is an
entire team effort to make it work.”
Marketing Profile
Michael Kaufman
Concordia Lutheran Ministries
Michael Kaufman started as Rehab and Skilled Nursing
Marketing Coordinator for Concordia Lutheran Ministries in
May of 2006. Since that time he has used his breadth of knowledge
and experience to further the Concordia mission, vision,
and brand.
Kaufman’s position requires him to establish a presence and
build relationships with local hospitals and doctor’s offices, as
well as market and promote various service lines at Concordia, such as the skilled facilities and
outpatient therapy.
“When you’re marketing healthcare, you are promoting a service that has a direct impact on
an individual and their family,” Kaufman said. “Concordia’s values and high level of service
excellence was a great match for me.”
Kaufman came to Concordia with a strong background in healthcare and marketing after
working as a Senior Clinical Liaison. He also has experience on the service end of healthcare,
after working as a recreational therapist for eight years.
His philosophy on healthcare marketing is simple: Work with compassion, maintain your
integrity, and always do what is right for your consumer.
“Marketing at Concordia is simple,” he said. “When you provide such a high standard of care
to those you serve, the marketing takes care of itself.”
Kaufman resides in Connoquenessing, Butler County, with his wife and daughter.
4 December 23, 2007 hospitalnews.org Hospital News

From Film to Photoshop: One Graphic
Designer’s Account of the Evolution
of a Marketing Department
Greg Dulak in the late 1970’s correcting
an ad with an X-acto Knife.
Greg Dulak present day working
on a brochure in Photoshop.
Each morning Greg Dulak,
Medical Photographer and
Graphic Designer at Memorial
Medical Center in Johnstown, makes
the same trip into work that he has
for the past 28 years.
“I like that it’s something different
every day,” says Dulak. “No two days
are the same, and the work is interesting.”
Dulak’s interest in the medical
field, combined with his talent for
displaying and communicating
all things visual- from
graphic design and layout to
photography- it appears
Dulak has found his niche.
As an intern at Memorial
Medical Center in 1977,
Dulak focused on medical
photography, which complemented
his self-designed
major at the University of
Pittsburgh at Johnstown in
Graphic Design/Medical
Photography.
“I loved to draw, particularly
medical illustrations, but
there wasn’t a major that
addressed this field; so I created
my own major, which, at
the time, was very rare,” said
Dulak. “My degree was a BA,
What’s the Big Idea
Ever wonder why so many healthcare ads seem to
say the same thing State of the art technology
… compassionate care … close to home … Or
wish healthcare marketers would stop ‘following the
script’ when talking about the services their company
has to offer
Worse yet, ever sit through a presentation that
includes what seems like a hundred PowerPoint slides
being read to you by the speaker
We have all probably been there in some way, shape
or form.
The problem arises because the advertiser, marketer,
and speaker all neglected to focus on one big idea.
Instead, they made it about them rather than
us…and gave us more information than we wanted
or needed. It’s kind of like the casual acquaintance
you run into who goes on and on about their kids
BY DAVID M.
MASTOVICH, MBA
when you ask how they are doing. All you really wanted was the quick thirty second
update…not a breakdown on school, sports, height, weight, friends, favorite food,
and so on…
We’re bombarded with messages from the time we wake up until we crash at the
end of a long day. We can’t afford to spend more time processing information unless
we are sure we need it. We remember creative messages that are memorable and
make an emotional impact. We relate to them and they are focused on one main idea.
Think about ads or slogans that you probably couldn’t forget if you wanted to …
Can You Hear Me Now
Got Milk
Choose Your Healthcare As If Your Life Depended On It.
Try to remember the last time a salesperson made just the right pitch …
Or you thoroughly enjoyed a presentation or speaker …
The presentation or pitch was focused on you and on one big idea that you still
remember today.
The next time you are creating an ad, making a sales pitch, preparing for a presentation,
or writing a memo, improve your message by asking yourself:
What’s the Big Idea
David M. Mastovich, MBA, is the president of Massolutions, a Pittsburgh based strategic
marketing firm. He can be reached at info@massolutions.biz or (412) 201-2401.
but it focused more on the sciences,
such as anatomy, microbiology and
physiology, in conjunction with a lot
of drawing courses.”
During his internship, Greg
focused on photography, taking pictures
of medical procedures and
corpses in the morgue to incorporate
into presentations and publications
for the medical staff. In 1979, his
education and experience at
Memorial landed him a job at the
facility in the medical photography
department.
“At that time, medical photography
was shifting to an arm of the public
relations department,” says Dulak. “I
got on board at the time that there
was a new field budding and evolving
across healthcare, which was marketing.”
In the late 1970s and early 1980s
Dulak spent much of his time creating
newspaper ads, laying out new
publications such as an annual report
and helping to design marketing
campaigns. As the technology began
to evolve, Dulak realized the days of
X-acto knives and orange acetate
were slowly becoming a thing of the
past.
“I began taking graphic design
classes at Indiana University of
Pennsylvania in hopes of attaining a
master’s degree, so that I could hone
my computer skills,” said Dulak. “I
realized that everything was moving
to technology, and graphic design
was no different.”
At the same time, Memorial’s
Marketing Department was growing
and changing as well.
“Marketing had taken such a hold,
we even acquired an in-house print
shop, so that we could reproduce all
of our own brochures, newsletters
and other marketing tools,” says
Dulak.
Fast-forward to present day- every
item Dulak creates is not in a dark
room, but in Photoshop. While the
days of color slides and hand rolling
film are a thing of the past, the creativity
used to produce his work is
still intact.
“What would take three days to
layout, now takes just minutes,” says
Dulak. “It’s unbelievable when you
think about it. We were really doing
things in a primitive fashion. The
capabilities that the computer software
provides you with today allows
you to be much more creative and
have more control over the final
product. You’re able to make the
magic happen in less time.”
Hospital News hospitalnews.org December 23, 2007 5

Marketing
How to Use Print Advertising to Drive Your Online Sales
BY PETER KOEPPEL
These days, advertising your product
or service requires much more than
simply a print ad campaign or even
a television blitz. To reach today’s consumers
in the most efficient manner, you
need a mix of offline and online ads. And
while many advertisers are already aware
of the power of television advertising to
drive sales and online traffic, few realize
the potential of print advertising and how
it impacts a company’s bottom line.
New research from iProspect and Jupiter
Research that looks at the influence of
offline channels on online search found
that 67% of online search population is
driven to search by offline channels. Of
that percentage, 30% come from print ads.
Even more impressive is the fact that print
advertising topped the list of offline media
sources that led to a purchase, with 30% of
search users who opened their wallet and
bought online coming from a print medium.
So what does all this mean to today’s
advertisers It means that if you’re not
using print media, such as magazines and
newspapers, to advertise your company,
product, or service, then you’re missing
out on not only sales, but also web traffic
that could in turn lead to future business.
But before you rush out and place any old
print ad with the hopes of a big online payout,
take note of the following guidelines
that will enhance your print campaign
success.
• Put key search terms
in your print ad
Including your web site address or URL
in your print ad is obvious. But don’t stop
there. Realize that readers don’t necessarily
take your web site address from your ad
and type it into their Internet address bar.
Often, readers remember some other key
item from your ad, such as the product
name or tagline, and search that phrase in
a search engine. That means your print ad
needs to prominently display your company
name, product name, tagline, or any
other pertinent descriptor or keyword
your customers would remember.
Therefore, before you design your ad,
think like your customer and create a list
of keywords they would likely search for if
they were looking for your product. Then,
include those words in your print ad so
you can reinforce the message into the
readers’ minds.
• Use your print ad as a “sneak
peak” of your product
Since print ads are static, you often can’t
give readers a complete overview of your
product or showcase all the “bells and
whistles.” That’s where your online presence
comes in handy. You can entice people
with your print ad, and then use your
web site as a way of demonstrating the
product and showing all it can do. Show a
video of the product in action or give a
demo of what customers will experience.
Take your print ad to the next level by
using the interactivity of the web to get
prospects involved with your product
before they even own it. The more
involved you can get people, the more apt
they are to buy.
• Use your online presence as a
way to further educate the consumer.
Depending on your advertising budget
you may not be able to afford running a
full page print ad every month. Instead,
you may need to make the most of a quarter
page ad or even less. If so, don’t despair.
Since print advertising is all about longterm
exposure, you need to choose the
largest size ad you can afford to do for the
long-term basis. Any information you can’t
include in your print ad can go on your
web site. So in addition to having demos
and video clips on your site, make sure
you include a section with all the pertinent
technical or educational information your
prospects may want to know about your
product. When you give your prospects
adequate information, you make their
buying decision much easier.
• Use the web to elaborate your
print testimonials.
Most print ads contain a few testimonials
from satisfied customers. Your print ads
should certainly do the same. To make the
testimonial even more powerful, have the
same person do a longer video testimonial
for your web site. Why video Because it’s
more believable than simply reading a
short paragraph testimonial. Additionally,
it puts a face to the words and helps your
prospects identify with other satisfied customers.
Finally, most purchase decisions
are based on emotion, not logic, and video
is a more emotional medium than reading
a block of text.
The Right Mix for Your Success
No matter what product you’re marketing,
if you’re not using some form of print
advertising to reach customers, you’re
missing a huge share of potential revenue
and online traffic. Remember that it takes
a combination of offline and online advertising
to make a true impact on today’s
consumers. So leverage your marketing
dollars by using the synergy of print and
online ads to maximize the impact of your
campaign. When you do, you will see your
company’s bottom line results improve.
Peter Koeppel is founder and president of
Koeppel Direct, a leader in direct response
television (DRTV), online, print and radio
media buying. For more information, visit
www.koeppeldirect.com or call
(972) 732-6110.
COVER STORY: All I Really Need to Know
(About Marketing) I learned in Kindergarten
Continued from page 1
industry is in upheaval. Yes, disruptive
change in on the horizon. But take heart.
There are some elementary marketing
principles that just might help you weather
the storm. Keep them in mind.
Remember the basics. They are your foundation
for survival, for success. Now, with
apologies to Mr. Fulghum, here’s what I’ve
learned:
• Keep it simple – Marketing is nothing
more than the process of getting and keeping
customers. That’s all there is to it. Just
remember, too often we get caught up in
the pursuit of new customers and neglect
the ones we already have. Take care of
your existing customers first.
• Do your homework – The classic 4 Ps
of marketing – Product, Price, Promotion
and Place – are still the building blocks for
successful market planning. Study them;
define them. Don’t leave things to chance
• Be yourself – As an ad agency, we help
clients identify, define and refine their personality.
It’s the brand, if you will, that
makes you different and more desirable
than the competition. What’s your unique
selling proposition (USP) Figure it out.
And use it.
• Don’t play it safe – You can’t stand out
from the crowd if you don’t demand attention.
But using borrowed interest is not the
way to get attention. You must rise above
that. Remember, be yourself. And please
don’t fall into the trap of telling us “you
care.” We know. You are a healthcare
provider – you are supposed to care. Tell
me why I should care. Be bold.
• Spread the word – Implement a marketing
communication program based on
your particular set of challenges and
opportunities uncovered in the homework
you did. There are still only so many tricks
in the bag: Public Relations – the credibility
factor, Advertising – the awareness generator,
Sales Promotion – the support and
surge mechanism (this includes e-marketing
applications.) Don’t talk at your audience;
engage them.
• Be accountable – You need to answer
the skeptic’s claim that “these patients
would have come here anyway.” Be diligent.
Benchmark awareness and perception
and then re-measure it to see how you
moved the needle. Awareness and market
share have an almost 1:1 correlation. Make
sure you are getting credit for the market
gains. Track “how heard” and correlate it
to your marketing. A call center can be
your best friend for this.
Like Mr. Fulghum said about the simple
life lessons, “Everything you need to know
is in there somewhere.” I won’t be that presumptuous
about these simple marketing
lessons. In contrast, I just think it’s a good
idea to occasionally refresh with a look at
the basics. We get so caught up in the
complexities of solving our business problems,
we sometimes forget the fundamentals.
I hope this helps as you navigate
through the storms that are brewing.
Mark Baldauf is a founding partner of
Catalyst Advertising. He can be reached at
(412) 381-1100, or
Mark@CatalystAdvertising.com.
6 December 23, 2007 hospitalnews.org Hospital News

Marketing Profile
Susan Galvin
Director, Public
Relations/Marketing
Jameson Health System
Proudest accomplishment: Being on
my own and self-sufficient at age 17.
First job: Babysitting, then newspaper
route (80 homes, no females at the
time)
Education: Master’s Public
Administration, University of
Pittsburgh
What skills do you need to succeed
in your job: Communications skills,
ability to relate to individuals at all
levels, diplomacy, political correctness,
creativity, ability to think outside the
box, and patience.
Work habit you possess that you are
most proud of: Tenacity, not letting up until the problem is solved, issue corrected,
or policy changed; doing whatever it takes to move forward and
improve, convincing others of the same.
Most valuable lesson you learned in your career: That sometimes you don’t
win, that sometimes you just have to let it go and move on because a part of
what you would like to have happen is totally outside of your control.
The toughest part of your job: Realizing/accepting the above.
Your philosophy of success: Understanding what you want to do – finishing
what you need to do – and having fun at what you love to do.
One of your goals: Vastly increasing the awareness and understanding by all
residents within the county of all of the services provided by the hospital.
Person you most admire: My mother
Favorite book: The Grapes of Wrath
Biggest challenge confronting healthcare: Health insurance coverage for all,
reimbursement to providers, threat to hospitals with growing number of
mini-clinics/other services.
Suggestions on how you would solve a particular problem in healthcare:
Consider monetary “rewards” for those who practice healthy eating, behaviors
that minimize/reduce risks for health conditions and/or complications
(maintain healthy weight, don’t smoke).
Your predictions on the future of health care: No easy solutions are apparent.
All hospitals and especially smaller hospitals will continue to face challenges
related to competition, adequate reimbursement, recruitment/staffing.
We will have to continue to better and more aggressively educate our youth
on healthy lifestyles. The trend toward obesity and diabetes threatens their
lives yet they will hold the only key to reversing the epidemic. Additionally
because of the world we now live in, inevitably all hospitals will learn and
re-learn from disaster planning/response.
Best thing about healthcare in Western Pennsylvania: Hospitals in
Pennsylvania have a willingness to work together to face challenges collectively
that I am not sure is happening in other states.
Worst thing about healthcare in Western Pennsylvania: I think all states
are wrestling with the same very challenging issues with no apparent
answers yet available. Pennsylvania is a progressive leader right now in
evaluating possible solutions. Government intervention and assistance, however,
is sometimes viewed by both legislators and health care professionals
alike as advantageous and dangerous at the same time. Although the public’s
best interests are always a driving force, I think that the dynamics and complexities
that are encountered on a day to day basis in health care are not
always completely understood by those outside the industry.
What advice would you offer young people considering a career in health
care: It’s the most rewarding field in the world but you must have the
patience, the physical energy, and the emotional fortitude to withstand its
challenges long-term.
––––– Celebrating 18 Years of Service –––––
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We are a nonprofit organization dedicated
to helping people diagnosed with cancer,
their families and friends cope
with the emotional impact of cancer.
Services
provided:
• Professional Counseling
• Telephone Helpline
• Support Groups in 15 Locations
• Live Well with Cancer Programs and Newsletters
• Resource Library
• Age-Specific Groups for Children Who Have
A Family Member With Cancer
• Bereavement Groups for Children
• Dance, Wellness, Art Programs and more
Our services are not duplicated and all are FREE
Community Support Groups:
• Armstrong • Bloomfield • Butler • Cranberry • Friendship
• Homewood • Jefferson • Johnstown • McKeesport • Monroeville
• North Hills • Ohio Valley • Shadyside • South Hills • Murrysville
4117 Liberty Avenue • Pittsburgh, PA 15224
E-MAIL: info@cancercaring.org
WEB SITE: www.cancercaring.org
We are a local charity – all funds raised stay here
to help our neighbors in Western Pennsylvania.
Hospital News hospitalnews.org December 23, 2007 7

Evaluating Healthcare
Websites and the Internet
A customer walked into his pharmacy carrying an armload
of information pulled from the Internet. “Why am I
not getting this dosage” he asked. The pharmacist looked
through the information the customer had brought and
replied, “Because you aren’t a horse.”
The Internet has made it easy for both health care
providers and consumers to access increasing quantities of
information on just about any topic. While personal
research can help open lines of communication between
doctors and patients, the story above illustrates the importance
of evaluating that information for relevance, accuracy,
and validity when making decisions about the care of Elizabeth LaRue
individual patients. Elizabeth LaRue, PhD, MLS, AHIP,
assistant professor in the Department of Health & Community Systems, is working on several
tools to help.
SPAT, one of the tools developed by LaRue, helps healthcare providers and consumers
evaluate the accuracy, validity, and relevance of information found on the Internet. SPAT is
an acronym for Site, Publisher, Audience, and Timeliness, the four components of information.
“Dot com (.com) sites may be sponsored by manufacturers or advertisers who provide
information, unsubstantiated by scientific evidence, with the goal of promoting their product
or service,” says LaRue. The SPAT too prompts users to ask, “Is the Publisher or author
of the information stated, credible, and do they cite reliable references Is the Audience for
the text on the web page appropriate for the reader – not using medical terms or biased
Does the reader understand all the words And finally, is there a date on the document or
site to indicate the timeliness of the information”
“SPAT is fast, easy to use, and memorable,” says LaRue. “Nurses can teach patients and
their families to use SPAT when taking information from the Internet. It helps consumers
realize that they need to evaluate the evidence presented when making decisions about care.”
It might seem obvious that people are not horses, but without evaluating the relevance,
accuracy, and validity of healthcare information, errors and misconceptions will occur.
Consequences from using poor information are significant when making decisions about the
health care of individual patients. LaRue is making it easier.
Elizabeth LaRue, PhD, MLS, AHIP, informatics academic coordinator,
Department of Health and Community Systems at the University of Pittsburgh School
of Nursing, can be reached at (412) 624-3801 or EML17@pitt.edu.
E-mail Between Physician and Parent Improves
Communication and Can Lead to Better Pediatric
Care, Children’s Hospital Study Finds
E-mail communication between a parent and physician improves the health care experience
for families of pediatric patients and can improve patient care, according to a study by
a Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC rheumatologist.
The study by Paul Rosen, MD, MPH, MMM, clinical director of the Division of Pediatric
Rheumatology at Children’s, found that parents who have e-mail access to their child’s physician
report improved communication and care.
According to a Harris Interactive report, 90 percent of patients would like the ability to e-
mail their physician, however, only 10 percent of physicians and up to 30 percent of pediatricians
are using a patient-physician e-mail system.
“E-mail is an important tool our patient families very much want to use,” said Dr. Rosen,
an assistant professor of Pediatrics at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. “It
shouldn’t replace face-to-face visits or phone conversations for urgent or time-sensitive medical
concerns, but it can be a very effective tool for improving communications with
patients.”
Over a two-year period ending in April 2006, 121 patient families from Children’s Division
of Pediatric Rheumatology utilized a physician e-mail service, generating 848 e-mails. Data
recorded on each message included its level of urgency, subject, volume, time received and
physician time spent responding to the e-mail. Parents were instructed to make e-mails concise
and not to use e-mail for an emergency. The study authors also recorded similar data on
parent questions called into the office via the telephone. After one year, families were mailed
a 12-item satisfaction survey.
Memorial’s “Hotspots” Offer Free Internet Access
On the heels of Memorial Medical Center’s physicians and staff adopting electronic medical
records in February, the facility has now turned its attention to increasing connectivity
for patients and visitors. Memorial is leading the way among West Central Pennsylvania hospitals
by offering free facility-wide Internet access in locations called Internet WiFi Hotspots.
“We have a comprehensive and high-security wireless network built into our Information
Technology infrastructure at Memorial. The private Memorial wireless network is relied
upon by employees and physicians to perform their jobs,” says Joe Dado, Chief Information
Officer, Conemaugh Health System. “At the same time, we realize the value of Internet access
for patients and their family members to stay informed and connected while they’re at the
hospital as a patient or visitor. As part of a recent network upgrade, we were able to incorporate
public Internet access into our wireless network infrastructure in a way that does not
interfere with Memorial’s network.”
Internet WiFi Hotspots are currently located at both Memorial’s Main and Lee Campus in
areas such as the lobbies, cafeterias, patient/family waiting areas and all inpatient rooms.
“In addition to patient rooms, we strategically located Hotspot access in many high traffic
patient and visitor areas throughout both campuses,” says Dado. “We feel this service will be
a very helpful and invaluable asset to the community, and we are unaware of any other hospital
in our region offering such a comprehensive service.”
When using a laptop or WiFi-enabled smartphone in the hospital, the user can easily connect
to the “CHS_Guest” wireless network, which is separate from the proprietary network
utilized by hospital personnel.
“The two networks are completely segregated,” says Dado. “Therefore there is no threat
that unauthorized individuals could obtain access to private or secure hospital information
through the Internet WiFi Hotspots.”
Plans are in the works to extend the Internet WiFi Hotspots to patient and visitor areas at
Conemaugh Health System’s other member hospitals, Meyersdale Medical Center and
Miners Medical Center located in Hastings.
Web Site Updated to Reflect KaneCare
Plastic surgery isn’t a core competency for the John J. Kane Regional Centers, but its Web
site recently underwent a major facelift.
At the direction of Kane’s leadership, the Web site has gone through a major transition to
make it more informative and user friendly. Dennis Biondo, executive director of the John J.
Kane Regional Centers, said that a Web site is often the first point of contact with the public
for any organization, and he felt the site should reflect Kane’s high level of care.
“In today’s world, having an effective Web site is an absolute necessity,” Biondo said. “With
the changes that have been made to our site, it more accurately reflects who we are as well
as our level of commitment to better serving our community.”
The site (www.kanecare.com or www.kanecare.org) was redeveloped by Allegheny
County’s Web developing staff. Cindy Dockman, Webmaster for Allegheny County, said a
new content management system allowed them to be more creative with the site as well as
making it easier for Kane personnel to update the site as information changes.
Dockman said the basic approach the staff took in redeveloping the site was to make it
reflect Kane as the caring institution that it is. The rough, harsher edges have been smoothed
out and an easy-to-use menu makes locating pertinent information simpler for any level of
Web user,
“We wanted to make it a little friendlier for folks visiting us online,” Dockman said. “It’s
a difficult situation when you have a loved one who needs this kind of care, so we want to
make every aspect of the Kane experience as convenient as possible. We also softened the
appearance of the site to make it look less institutional; less governmental. We used softer
backgrounds and used the hand over the heart logo to make it a little bit more welcoming
and easier on the eyes.”
The site is also used to give visitors a slice of what life is like at the Kane centers. Following
the “Our Scrapbook” link takes visitors to a page that shows residents interacting with one
another as well as staff and volunteers in many of the wide variety of activities that take place
at Kane on a daily basis.
Charlene Flaherty, director of admissions for the John J. Kane Regional Centers, said the
site is also more user friendly to the staff and will enable them to keep up with all information
updates as they arise. In addition, Flaherty believes the site holds the potential to be
even more helpful to visitors as its development continues.
“We’d even like to add some more improvements as we move forward,” Flaherty said. “I’m
hoping the next step will be providing a virtual tour of our facility online, but that’s something
that is still in the planning process.”
In addition to the two direct addresses for the Kane site, it can also be found by visiting
the Allegheny County Web site, www.alleghenycounty.us.
Visit us online at www.hospitalnews.org
8 December 23, 2007 hospitalnews.org Hospital News

Building a Resource for
the Community.
Part of what makes The Commons at Squirrel Hill Nursing and Rehabilitation
Center unique is our dedication to providing vital community resources. It’s
part of who we are as a nonprofit organization. As such, we continue to develop
educational outreach as well as specific clinical programs to meet the needs of
our community. From providing experienced ventilator and respiratory
programs, to in-house hospice, extensive wound care, rehabilitation and longterm
care, The Commons at Squirrel Hill is committed to providing vital services,
now and in the future. We invite you to learn
more by calling or scheduling a tour with
Andra Mammarelli at 412-287-8408.
2025 Wightman Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15217 • thecommonsatsquirrelhill.org
Your Community Resource for Skilled Nursing and Rehabilitation Healthcare.
Hospital News hospitalnews.org December 23, 2007 9

The region’s
most trusted
source for
care in
the home.
Big Change in Employment Eligibility
Verification Affect Healthcare Providers
BY JOEL PFEFFER, ESQ.
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration
Services has just made a
change that affects every healthcare
provider in western Pennsylvania and
across the country.
In early November, the immigration service
changed the list of documents that it
will allow employers to accept as proof of
legal residency for form I-9, which verifies
employment eligibility. The change is
noted on a brand new I-9 form.
The new regulation removes five documents
that were previously on the list as
okay to accept as proof of identity and
employment eligibility.
• Certificate of U.S. Citizenship (Form
N-560 or N-561)
• Certificate of Naturalization (Form N-
550 or N-570)
• Alien Registration Receipt Card (I-
151)
• Unexpired Reentry Permit (Form I-
327)
• Unexpired Refugee Travel Document
(Form I-571)
The new form does add one document
to the list of approved proofs of identity,
the new form I-766, which is a card issued
to aliens who are authorized to work temporarily
in the United States. Other
approved documents include an expired
or unexpired U.S. passport and a permanent
residence card, among others.
Every employer must have new employees
fill our a I-9 form, and then keep it on
file for three years after the employee
starts or, if the employee leaves before
three years is up, an additional year after
employment ends. Failure to have completed
I-9 forms on file can lead to stiff
penalties.
Healthcare providers must examine the
documents presented by employees and, if
they appear to be reasonably genuine and
relate to the person presenting them, they
must accept them. If a document does not
Liken Health Care’s goal is to provide superior service while
enhancing the independence, comfort, and dignity of our
clients. Our Companions, Aides, LPNs, and RNs have been helping
individuals at home for over 30 years in Western Pennsylvania with:
bathing, personal care, overnight care, mobility, meals, light housekeeping,
medication, and more.
appear reasonably genuine and relate to
the person presenting it, healthcare
providers should not accept it.
Employees must present original documents,
not photocopies. The only exception
is a certified copy of a birth certificate.
A healthcare provider may terminate an
employee who fails to produce the
required documents, or a receipt for a
replacement document (in the case of lost,
stolen or destroyed documents), within
three business days of the date employment.
If an employee has presented a
receipt for a replacement document, he or
she must produce the actual document
within 90 days of the date employment.
The new form instruction will become
effective as soon as a notice is published in
the Federal Register, but the immigration
service wants employers to start using the
new form right away.
Joel Pfeffer, an attorney at Meyer, Unkovic
& Scott LLP, can be reached at
jp@muslaw.com.
Help Family and World
with Charitable Lead Trust
Balancing your financial objectives can
be tricky when you want to donate
funds to one of your favorite charities
but also want to protect your family’s future
well-being. You may not have enough disposable
income to achieve both objectives
independently.
One solution is to have the same funds do
“double duty” through a charitable lead
trust. In a nutshell, with a charitable lead
trust the charity receives a steady stream of
income for a set period of time. At the end of
the trust term, the funds go to the beneficiaries
you have designated, such as your
spouse, children or grandchildren.
A charitable lead trust is the opposite of a
charitable remainder trust. With a charitable BY PAUL RUDOY, CPA/PFS
remainder trust, the beneficiaries are entitled
to an income interest for a specified period
of time, while the charity receives the trust funds at the end of the term.
Unlike charitable remainder trusts, however, there generally is no income tax
deduction for donating property to a charitable lead trust. The exception is when
you may claim a charitable deduction for the present value of the charity’s interest
if you are willing to be taxed on the trust’s income.
The gift- or estate-tax deduction makes it possible to transfer the remainder
interest to family members at a relatively low tax cost. Taking this and various
other factors into account, the children can wind up with an amount close to
what they would have received if they had been given the property outright.
Consider, however, that the estate- or gift-tax deduction is allowed only if the
charity’s interest is either an annuity or unitrust interest. An annuity interest
requires fixed annual payments. On the other hand, a unitrust requires payment
each year of a fixed percentage of the trust assets. The trust term can last for a
fixed number of years or the life of the donor, donor’s spouse or a lineal ancestor
(or spouse) of all of the remainder beneficiaries.
One possible advantage of an annuity-type trust is that the beneficiaries may
ultimately cash in on the appreciation of the trust assets. Conversely, if the trust
does not earn sufficient funds to cover the charity’s payments, it will have to dip
into the principal. With the unitrust arrangement, changes in the value of the
property have no such effect. Furthermore, the deduction for an annuity-type
trust is determined by a special IRS table. These figures are adjusted each month
to reflect changes in interest rates. The lower the interest rate goes, the greater
the deduction for you or your estate.
A charitable lead trust may be established during your lifetime or through a
will (frequently called a “testamentary” trust). No matter which type of trust is
utilized, the family benefits from a gift- or estate-tax deduction.
One potential caveat: the IRS recently announced that it is targeting charitable
trusts it considers “abusive.” In other words, the trust cannot be all form and no
substance. Be careful to adhere to all the technical requirements the IRS sets for
a qualified charitable lead trust.
Call for a free assessment and more information,
or visit our Web site:
412-816-0113 www.likenservices.com
Paul K. Rudoy is a partner at the accounting firm Horovitz
Rudoy & Roteman. He can be reached at (412) 391-2920.
10 December 23, 2007 hospitalnews.org Hospital News

BY DAVE MARKO
Caring Clowns Add Life to Years at
Passavant Retirement Community
If laughter really is the best
medicine, then the residents
of Passavant Retirement
Community in Zelienople
are all going to enjoy long,
healthy lives!
Passavant recently organized the
Caring Clowns, a group consisting of
Passavant staff, residents and community
members who have volunteered their
time to be trained on how to become a
clown to bring joy and laughter to everyone
they meet.
And so far, the results have been, well,
hilarious.
Kathie Morrow, Passavant’s outreach
coordinator, and Cathy Reid, activities specialist,
are leading the program.
“The only prerequisite we ask of our
clowns is that they want to make people
laugh and that they can be right ‘in the
moment’ with each resident or patient.
Fifteen minutes of laughter to someone
who is ill, bedridden or with no family is a
godsend to them,” Kathie said. “And our
volunteers are finding they are getting back
as much joy and laughter as they are providing.
Everyone has really been getting
into the spirit of the program.”
Cathy had a good head start on being a
clown - she was named “Class Clown” in
college - while Kathie had already created
numerous fun days on the Passavant campus,
such as Hootie Hoo Day, Change Your
Name Day, Give Someone a Hug Day and
her signature, every-Tuesday special, Crazy
Shoe Day. Both women attended Pittsburgh
Performing Arts Ministries workshops,
where they learned other related activities
such as juggling, puppeteering, balloon
making, improve techniques and makeup
application.
Several residents, including Marie
Musser, Doris Scheidemantle, Linda and
George Richards, Ada Spithaler and George
Ford, have joined the “clown ranks,” setting
the tone for other residents to join in
The Journey to Improve Hospice Care in America
the fun. Several Passavant staff members are
also actively involved.
Training sessions last approximately an
hour and a half and go for four weeks.
While the emphasis is on having fun, “volunteers
are quickly finding out there is a lot
to learn,” Kathie said. “It’s a commitment
even though it’s all about fun.”
The women are also creating roles and
scenarios for two clown visits. “We’ve
found that we can expand our routines by
interacting with one another, so we are
writing more jokes and skits for two
clowns,” Cathy said. A “Humor Cart” -
loaded with fun games and lots of surprises
- that will be pushed around the Passavant
campus is also in the works.
“Someone once said that laughter can’t
add years to your life but it can add life to
your years, so the program fits in with our
philosophy of creating an abundant life
atmosphere on Passavant’s campus and
hopefully throughout all of Lutheran
SeniorLife’s campuses,” Kathie said.
Reprinted with permission of Northern
Connection Magazine
The mission of a hospice can not simply
be a statement on the wall but
must be an active component of an
organization. At a not-for-profit hospice, all
strategic planning and decisions are driven
by the mission. The services provided by a
hospice do not lead to the mission — they
are the mission and the purpose of the organization.
Not-for-profit hospices are mission
driven — evaluating a business plan
and policies by what is best for the patient,
family, and community.
A hospice’s mission should be reflected in
every decision, whether it is the architecture
of a new building or the implementation
of a new technology. Recently, Family
Hospice and Palliative Care opened the new
Center for Compassionate Care. The goal of
providing comfort and compassionate care
to each patient and family is reflected in
every aspect of the new building. Many
rooms have direct access to beautiful gardens
so that patients can feel connected
with nature. There are overnight accommodations
for out-of- town guests so that loved
ones can remain close to the patient. By
locating The Center in a serene, residential
neighborhood, even the setting
mirrors the hospice
philosophy of living.
It is not enough to have
the physical environment,
technology, and printed
materials reflect the mission.
All people connected
with the not-for-profit organization
have to buy into
the mission and feel a personal
connection to it. At a
hospice, the clinical team
members are connected
daily with the mission
through the care they provide
directly to the patient
and family. Creating this
relationship is more of a challenge for office
staff who may not routinely interact with
patients and families. When Family
Hospice and Palliative Care designed its
new inpatient hospice unit, it was located in
the same building as the administrative
offices. The proximity of the inpatient unit
will bring the administrative staff closer to
hospice’s mission of care and comfort.
BY RAFAEL J. SCIULLO,
MA, LCSW, MS
Not-for-profit organizations
are unique in that
they bring together many
different constituencies
(patients, providers, volunteers
and funders). It is
equally important to build
and maintain a link to the
mission for all that are connected
with hospice. All
volunteers must be
reminded through direct
patient visits, or through
stories of care, of how the
hospice mission is carried
out with each patient and
family. At Family Hospice
and Palliative Care, the
Board of Directors meetings are held at The
Center for Compassionate Care so that the
board members are reminded of the hospice’s
mission of care. Finally, it is necessary
to keep the community at large, the donors,
and the referral sources connected to the
mission of a hospice. The mission is a constant
reminder of why it is important to
raise money for programming, why it is
imperative for a particular patient or family
to have hospice services, and why there is a
continual need for public support and
advocacy for hospice services.
At a mission-driven hospice, everyone
must be connected to the purpose of the
organization. For many hospices, like
Family Hospice and Palliative Care, the
mission is central to the services and programs.
The mission is reflected in every
patient visit, every discussion with a physician,
and every community presentation
about hospice care. Decisions about the
physical layout of an inpatient hospice unit,
the look of a web site, and the orientation of
the staff should all reflect the dedication to
the guiding principles of a hospice. In the
end, having the mission woven throughout
the many parts of a hospice makes the hospice
a stronger organization with greater
ties to patients, families, referrers, and the
community.
Rafael J. Sciullo, MA, LCSW, MS, is President
and CEO of Family Hospice and Palliative
Care. He may be reached at
rsciullo@familyhospice.com or at
(412) 572-8800.
Hospital News hospitalnews.org December 23, 2007 11

CODE... Security Tips for the Healthcare Industry
Seven Area Healthcare Facilities
to Compete for Healthcare Security Awards
There’s no question
that security staffs
play ever-increasing
roles in the day-to-day
operation of most healthcare
facilities. Oftentimes,
they are the first people
that patients, staff and visitors
see when they visit
your facility; and also, the
last ones they see when
they leave. They enhance
the feeling of safety and
security in areas of higher
vulnerability, including
parking lots, emergency
rooms and even hospital
nurseries. In areas where
security personnel aren’t always visible,
security, fire alarm, access control and
video surveillance systems also provide an
added measure of reassurance. The role of
security is not always viewed to be as
important as a healthcare facility’s reputation
for care, cutting edge technologies,
cleanliness and results. However, it is
increasingly becoming a contributing factor
in the overall equation which makes a
healthcare location more or less attractive
to both patients and staff members.
That’s why Vector
Security, in association
with Hospital News created
an awards program
designed especially to
honor individuals whose
collective efforts serve to
keep those you serve and
your colleagues safe and
secure within the work
environment. The winners
of these four awards
will be announced during
February of 2008.
Healthcare security
departments and personnel
from Western PA and
Eastern OH, which make
up the subscriber base of Western
Pennsylvania Hospital News, were
encouraged to submit applications. The
award categories will be as follows:
BY LARRY SHOOP
1. Healthcare Security Executive,
Director or Manager of the Year
(1 award)
This award will be given to the
Healthcare Security Executive, Director or
Manager who has been the most effective
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in his or her role. Qualifications for this
award would include excellent planning
of or administration of a new security program;
the successful deployment of new
security technologies; achieving a unique
level of leadership within the organization;
personal dedication to a security or
life safety advocacy cause or association;
reaching high goals or performance levels
in the execution of the facility security
plan; or actions taken during a highly
volatile security incident. Submitted items
could include those which impact the life
safety of patients, staff or the community
at large.
2. Healthcare Security
Department of the Year
This award will be given to the collective
security department which has performed
its job best as a department, rather
than as individuals. Qualifications for this
award would include achieving high goals
or performance levels by acting as a team;
a specific team-oriented program which
provides a higher level of security and
safety to the facility’s staff, patients or visitors;
team dedication to a security or life
safety advocacy cause or association; or
exemplary actions as a team during a
highly volatile security event.
3. Healthcare Security Officer
or Staff Member of the Year
(1 award)
This award will be given to a single
member of a healthcare facility’s security
staff to include a security officer, clerical
person or front line manager who has
demonstrated an exemplary performance
level in the execution of his or her job.
Qualifications for this award would
include achieving high goals or performance
levels, personal dedication to a
security or life safety advocacy cause or
association, or exemplary action during a
highly volatile security event.
4. Healthcare Security
Best Practice of the Year
This award will be given to the healthcare
facility which has deployed the most
highly effective security or safety program
or “best practice.” Qualifications for this
award would include items such as the
development and implementation of a
highly effective hiring or training program
which has produced exemplary results in
terms of officers’/staff members’ performance,
career enhancement and higher
retention levels; the application of new
technologies or the “marriage” of new
technologies with highly trained officers
to achieve higher performance levels; or
the development of a new program which
itself has brought about new levels of
security and safety.
We are please to report that we have
received pre-submission applications from
a total of seven healthcare facilities located
in Western Pennsylvania, Eastern Ohio
and Northern West Virginia. The facilities
which have submitted applications are as
follows:
1. Aultman Hospital, Canton, OH
2. Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh of
UPMC, Pittsburgh, PA
3. Hamot Medical Center, Erie, PA
4. Uniontown Hospital, Uniontown, PA
5. UPMC Presbyterian Hospital,
Pittsburgh, PA
6. West Penn Hospital, Pittsburgh, PA
7. Monongalia Hospital, Morgantown,
WV
Four of these healthcare facilities have
indicated they will be submitting entries
for multiple awards. Here are the numbers
of submissions anticipated for the various
categories:
Security Executive of the Year
3 Submissions
Security Department of the Year
7 Submissions
Security Officer of the Year
2 Submissions
Security Best Practice of the Year
4 Submissions
We are encouraged by the level of participation
we have received from the
healthcare community for the first year of
our awards program and want to thank
those listed above for finding an interest
in the program and its goals.
The winners of the 2007 Hospital
Security Awards Program will be
announced at a luncheon held in honor of
all submitters scheduled for late February
2008.
Larry Shoop is the Business Development
Director at Vector Security’s Pittsburgh
branch office.He can be reached at
(724) 779-8800 ext. 1223, or by email at
SecurityAwards@vectorsecurity.com
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12 December 23, 2007 hospitalnews.org Hospital News

Holidays Present Challenges,
Rewards for Hospice
Chaplains
The baby died. She’d
been born with a
genetic abnormality
and had lived only a few
months. The family had
hopes of celebrating
Christmas with her, but she
didn’t live long enough.
When the chaplain from
VITAS was asked to conduct
the funeral service, he
decided they should celebrate
Christmas with her
after all. He made her
funeral service a Christmas
service. The congregation
sang carols, including
“Silent Night” by candlelight.
This approach to a baby’s funeral shows
how creatively hospice chaplains often
deal with the challenges of death and loss
during the holiday season. By turning the
baby’s funeral into a celebration, her family,
her VITAS team and her community
came together to acknowledge a brief but
meaningful life that touched many. It’s
what hospice caregivers and chaplains s
do every day, but during the holidays, it’s
a particularly poignant mission.
Listen and observe
A big part of VITAS’ mission is to listen
to patients’ and families’ dreams and do
whatever possible to ensure those dreams
are realized. One holiday season, an
actively dying elderly patient who had
just signed on for hospice care asked to go
home to her own bed with her family at
her side. The VITAS team carried out her
wishes that same day.
Once the patient arrived home, four
generations of her family surrounded her;
her much-loved dog jumped into her bed
and kissed her. Within minutes, the
patient died peacefully.
A VITAS chaplain and Roman Catholic
seminarian who was present with this
team says working in hospice has profoundly
changed the way he delivers spiritual
guidance.
Quiet confessionals and the silent
majesty of the nave were this chaplain’s
most comfortable places. But in hospice
he discovered that family gatherings and
loving pets don’t always allow for silent
reflection and meaningful conversation.
Sometimes, he told me, we must succumb
to the chaos and accept that what takes
place at the bedside is intimate—even if it
doesn’t appear so.
In another case, a rapidly declining
patient was waiting for her first grandchild
to arrive from the West Coast for the
BY MARTHA RUTLAND,
D MIN, BCC, ACPE
holidays. The baby’s family
was delayed several hours,
but the patient kept saying,
“I hear the baby crying.”
Her anxious family
explained that the baby
hadn’t arrived yet, but the
patient repeatedly insisted
that she could “hear the
baby.”
The VITAS chaplain
intervened, reassuring the
patient that her grandchild
was coming. The chaplain
taught the family to offer
comfort rather than correction.
By the time the grandchild
arrived, the grandmother had
slipped into unconsciousness.
Nonetheless, the baby was placed in her
arms, and pictures of their faces side-byside
remind the family of the generations
of love shared.
Honor the season’s
tastes and sounds
A VITAS chaplain and rabbi brings his
wife with him during the High Holy Days
to visit his patients who live in nursing
homes. His wife blows the shofar, a traditional
Jewish horn, and they both sing
songs and share rituals of remembrance.
The rabbi has noticed that, in addition
to his VITAS patients, the facility staff
members and other residents tend to
gather around. Patients sitting in wheelchairs
with their eyes closed often come
alive, their eyes growing bright with the
awareness of a sacred occasion.
Another VITAS chaplain, who is from
the Philippines, tells me that, when he
talks about the holidays with his patients
and families, he remembers food. In his
culture, the favorite foods of deceased
family members are cooked in their honor
during the holidays and on special occasions.
A plate is prepared for them in their
memory. This is a way for the living to
reconnect with the departed.
Create Rituals
Not every custom is for everyone. Each
patient and family member must create
ways to make the holidays meaningful.
That’s where hospice chaplains come in;
by listening and observing, they help
patients and families identify the best
ways to celebrate the holidays—even as
they face death and loss.
Martha Rutland, D Min, BCC, ACPE,
Director of Clinical Pastoral Education at
VITAS Innovative Hospice Care®, can be
reached at (305) 350-5946.
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Hospital News hospitalnews.org December 23, 2007 13

2007 A YEAR IN REVIEW
200
The Health Hope Network:
A Year in Review
The Health Hope Network hosted its
first annual Stroke Symposium
geared towards survivors in May of
2007.
“This symposium is unique as it was created
with stroke survivors in mind…it is
not a forum usually suited for medical professionals
to exchange information …
instead it is for individuals who have suffered
from a stroke. This is the first symposium
of its kind in Pittsburgh,” stated Carol
Glock, Education and Marketing Director
for the Health Hope Network.
Stroke survivors from the Pittsburgh area
were invited to participate. The function
included professional speakers, a panel discussion,
lunch, vendor booth displays and a
great opportunity for empathetic exchange
among those attending.
These are the four speakers who presented
at the Symposium and the topics they
addressed:
• “What’s New in Stroke 2007,” presented
by Ashis Tayal, M.D., Assistant Professor
of Neurology, Medical Director –
Comprehensive Stroke Program at
Allegheny General Hospital
• “Coping with Cognitive & Behavioral
Changes after Stroke”, presented by Carol
Schramke, Ph.D., Director of Behavioral
Neurology, Department of Neurology AGH,
Associate Professor of Neurology Drexel
University College of Medicine
• “Prognosis of the Stroke Patient: What
is next”– Catherine Birk, M.D., Physical
Medicine and Rehabilitation, Medical
Director of Neuroscience Program,
HealthSouth Harmarville Rehabilitation
Hospital
• “Financial Panel Discussion - Impact of
Stroke”– Lynn O’Donnell, BSN, RN, CRRN,
CBIS, Primary Nurse Care Coordinator for
the Stroke & General Rehabilitation Unit at
South Side Hospital
“This symposium and the Stroke
Survivor Connection program are wonderful
ways to reach out to the public.” stated
Glock. “Between the years 2004-2006, there
were 3921 people who had a stroke in
Allegheny County. We have about 200 people
who participate in our program. That
means we only reach about 5% of the stroke
population. We want to see that number
increase.”
The Stroke Survivor Connection is a program
that strategically helps stroke survivors
with a mind, body and wellness
approach. Participants of the group meet
Attendees at the Health Hope Network’s first annual Stroke Symposium.
weekly and provide emotional support;
learn how to exercise for their particular
needs; work on re-acclimation and socialization
skills; as well educate themselves
with information specific to surviving
strokes.
The 2008 Stroke Survivor and Caregiver
Symposium will be held on Saturday, May
3rd at the Sheraton North in Cranberry. For
more information , call (412) 937-8350.
Citizens Bank and WPXI-TV named
Health Hope Network as its third quarter
Champion in Action under the category of
community healthcare. Health Hope
Network received a $25,000 grant from the
Citizens Bank Foundation and extensive
volunteer and promotional support from
Citizens Bank and WPXI-TV.
“Citizens Bank is pleased to join WPXI-
TV in naming Health Hope Network as our
newest Champion in Action,” said Ralph J.
Papa, president of Citizens Bank of
Pennsylvania. “Under the leadership of
Executive Director Dotti G. Bechtol, this
tremendous organization strives to create
environments that foster hope, professionalism,
opportunity and excellence that
enhance the quality of life for seniors and at
risk populations.”
“As an organization committed to the
community, WPXI-TV is proud to partner
with Citizens Bank to honor Health Hope
Network” said Ray Carter, WPXI-TV’s general
manager. “On behalf of WPXI-TV, I
congratulate the leadership, staff and volunteers
of Health Hope Network on this honor
and thank them for all they do to support
stroke victims and their families in our
community.”
What makes Health Hope Network a
Champion in Action
• Through the Stroke Survivor
Connection program, the organization
takes a leadership role in addressing the
healthcare needs of seniors and at-risk
populations.
• Provides free therapy and support to
stroke survivors and their caregivers at
30 sites in the Greater Pittsburgh area.
Their program meets for three hours,
once a week, and provides a holistic
approach to helping stroke survivors
enhance their daily lives.
• Through FLU B-GONE, Health Hope
Network is the leading provider of flu
shots to Allegheny County. Staffed by
volunteer nurses, Health Hope Network
sets up annual clinics throughout southwestern
Pennsylvania to ensure that the
vaccine is available and affordable to
those who need it.
“We are honored to be recognized as a
Champion in Action,” said Dotti Bechtol,
executive director for the Health Hope
Network. “At Health Hope Network we are
positively impacting the quality of life for
stroke survivors and their families by creating
programs that enrich the mind, body
and spirit.”
More information on the
Health Hope Network and the Stroke
Survivor Connection program can be found
online at www.healthhopenetwork.org.
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14 December 23, 2007 hospitalnews.org Hospital News

The Western Pennsylvania Hospital
Foundation’s “Touching Tomorrow”
capital campaign has successfully
raised $8.7 million, of which $6 million
will be used to renovate The Western
Pennsylvania Hospital School of Nursing.
More than 1,000 donors gave generously
to provide future students with an exceptional
learning environment.
The renovation aims to preserve the
charm and history of the 83-year-old
building and honor its legacy, the generations
of nursing students who went on to
provide the best and most compassionate
care to patients both locally and globally.
At the same time, the renovation will
create a welcoming, modern environment
for students in a program that is enjoying
unprecedented popularity. Enrollment at
the West Penn Hospital School of Nursing
has more than tripled since 2002.
“Our donors have made an important
investment in quality nursing care,” said
B.J. Leber, President of The Western
Pennsylvania Hospital Foundation. “They
truly embraced the concept of our capital
campaign’s theme, ‘Touching Tomorrow.’
We thank them for their generosity, which
will benefit nurses and patients for many
years to come.”
The remaining $2.7 million has been or
will be used for a variety of other projects
West Penn Hospital Foundation Raises $8.7 Million;
School of Nursing Renovation in Progress
including support for West Penn
Hospital’s medical library.
The School of Nursing’s classrooms, residential
spaces, common areas and exterior
are all in need of significant structural
improvements. The six-story building
needs a sprinkler system, a handicappedaccessible
ramp and an elevator.
Renovations will also make the building
more energy-efficient, reduce operating
costs, and make residential, administrative
and classroom spaces more functional
and inviting.
Already a number of projects are complete,
including replacement of all windows
and lintels, asbestos abatement,
masonry and terracotta repairs, replacement
of the main roof, gutters and downspouts,
as well as new roofs, ceilings,
floors and railings for two side porches,
and excavation needed to provide
drainage and basement water abatement.
Renovations currently in progress
include installation of a handicapped
accessible ramp and a new elevator.
Plans are now underway for the second
phase of the renovations, which will
include upgrading the building’s bathrooms
and showers, kitchens, lighting,
and cosmetics, installing sprinkler and
alarm systems, adding wireless network,
renovating classrooms and dorm rooms,
and replacing furniture and equipment.
Hamot Medical Center Committed
to Providing Healthy Lifestyles
As the Northwest region’s leading healthcare provider, Hamot Medical Center
is committed to promoting healthy lifestyles. Organizational decisions made
at Hamot continually reflect and reinforce this commitment. Recently, Hamot
launched a tobacco-free initiative that created a healthier environment for patients,
visitors and employees. Hamot’s new policy in addition to supporting a tobacco-free
campus included another unique component: a shift-free workplace, a provision
that prohibits tobacco use during an employee’s entire shift.
Prior to the formation of the new tobacco-free policy, members of Hamot’s staff
expressed concerns that Hamot’s message as a leader in the promotion of healthy
lifestyles conflicted with the use of tobacco on its property. At this time, an internal
task force was organized to review and possibly modify Hamot’s existing tobacco
policy.
After researching tobacco-free campus initiatives implemented by healthcare facilities
throughout the nation, the task force realized that its similarly proposed policy
did not meet all of the objectives the committee had set-forth. As written, this policy
would increase the probability that tobacco users, mainly Hamot employees,
would leave the Hamot campus to smoke or use tobacco on neighboring properties
and sidewalks. This was identified as a potential problem that would counter
Hamot’s mission to be a leader in the promotion of healthy lifestyles.
After months of discussion, as well as input gathered from employee surveys and
focus groups, the task force recommended that policy supporting a tobacco-free
campus as well as a shift-free workplace would best way to accomplish its goals.
Administration agreed and implemented the new policy on November 15, 2007.
A tobacco-free, shift-free workplace:
• Promotes healthy lifestyles for employees, patients and guests by eliminating
exposure to second-hand smoke.
• Promotes healthy lifestyles for employees, patients and guests by not permitting
their tobacco use during the work day.
• Enhances patient satisfaction by decreasing the smell of smoke on employees.
• Enhances employee compliance with break guidelines.
• Provides managers with an enforceable policy in clear and comprehensive terms.
• Allows Hamot to continue being a good neighbor.
Recognizing that a request of staff to refrain from smoking or using tobacco during
the workday would present a difficult challenge to many, Hamot offered employees
and any spouses interested in quitting, several smoking cessation tools and classes,
as well covered the costs of specific medications and therapies. In total, Hamot
invested approximately $35,000 in the program and helped nearly 300 employees
and spouses quit using tobacco.
Hamot encourages all Pennsylvania hospitals to join the efforts to promote
healthy lifestyles by making decisions that benefit their communities.
“With these important renovations in
place, we will be better able to attract,
retain and serve future nursing students,”
said Nancy E. Cobb, Director of the
School of Nursing. “We are grateful for
our donors’ foresight and generosity.”
A recent major renovation made room
for the new STAR Center: The Simulation,
Teaching and Academic Research Center
at The Western Pennsylvania Hospital.
This state-of-the-art training facility for
nurses, medical students and other
healthcare professionals was made possible
by a $500,000 grant from the
Highmark Foundation, a $105,000 grant
from The Western Pennsylvania Hospital
Foundation, and a $97,500 Workforce
Grant from the Commonwealth of
Pennsylvania.
Medical simulators are anatomically
realistic models of patients that provide
highly realistic training experiences for
nursing and medical students. Simulators
are the “gold standard” of health education
today and ultimately enhance patient
safety as well as student training.
Hospital News hospitalnews.org December 23, 2007 15

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2007 A YEAR IN REVIEW
200
Innovative and exciting
is how I would describe
the last year at the
Robert Morris University
School of Nursing and
Health Sciences. Our
school has expanded to
include new Bachelor of
Science in Nuclear
Medicine Technology and
Doctor of Nursing Practice
degree programs. These
new programs join the
existing undergraduate
and graduate programs in
nursing and help address
the need for advanced education
for today’s health
care professions.
Health care education programs must
educate professionals in disciplines of
expanding science with a commitment to
evidence-based practice. How best to educate
health care professionals This is
ongoing debate. An important part of that
discussion is focused on the preparation
of professionals that best serve the needs
of health care consumers. National organizations
recommend a curriculum for
the education of health care professions
that emphasizes patient-centered care,
interdisciplinary teams, evidence-based
practice, quality improvement and informatics.
The health care needs of the
nation include a focus on staying healthy
BY LYNN GEORGE,
PH.D., RN
A Year in Review
and improving the quality
of life throughout the
lifespan, and that includes
end of life. Quality of care
for consumers needs to be
patient-centered, safe and
effective.
Our culture of health
care has shifted to one of
increased individual
responsibility for health
with a corresponding
need to educate and
inform. The participation
of health care consumers
in the process of health
care delivery presents new
challenges for both consumers
and health care providers. Health
care professions need to be educated to
provide patient-centered care that is evidence-based.
Clinical expertise is essential
but not sufficient. The ability to be an
effective communicator in an interactive
relationship with health care consumers is
also essential to safe patient-centered care.
As educators we must develop curricula
that prepare professionals with both
advanced clinical and communication
skills. The interdisciplinary nature of
today’s health care system includes not
just other professionals but also the
clients they serve.
Finally, communication involves not
just interactions with others but also the
ability to access information. The utilization
of information technology to
improve care within health care systems is
an essential component of any educational
program for health care professionals.
Students enrolled in education programs
must have education and experiences that
include the utilization of technology.
Education is about changing lives and
enhancing the perspective of those who
engage in the process. As educators, we
must engage in ongoing evaluation of the
content and focus of our curricula in
order to provide health care professionals
with the education that best prepares
them for their professional careers.
As I reflect on how fast this year has
passed. I am inspired by the direction of
our University. A relative newcomer to the
world of health care education, Robert
Morris University has launched successful
programs in nursing and now nuclear
medicine technology. These programs are
based upon the recommendations from
national organizations and the knowledge
of those charged with developing them. It
has been an exciting year, and I look forward
to the next one as we grow these and
other programs that provide the necessary
education for clinicians and educators in a
“culture of clinical scholarship.”
Lynn George is interim dean of the School
of Nursing and Health Sciences at Robert
Morris University. She can be reached at
george@rmu.edu.
Mount Nittany Medical Center Brings Life-Saving
Capability to Centre County
Mount Nittany Medical
Center recently announced
the enhancement of the
cardiac catheterization lab to now
perform cardiac interventions.
Richard P. Konstance II, M.D., and
Albert R. Zoda, M.D., interventional
cardiologists of Centre Medical
and Surgical Associates, helped to
enable the Medical Center to perform
cardiac catheterizations and
percutaneous coronary interventions
(PCI).
Steven M. Ettinger, M.D., interventional
program director of Penn State
Milton S. Hershey Medical Center,
spearheaded the program and training
provided to the interventional cardiologists.
He has been a professor of cardiology
for more than 18 years at Penn State
University, and currently teaches and supervises
cardiovascular fellows and interventional
cardiology fellows for Penn State
University at the Milton Hershey Medical
Center.
The Medical Center established the cardiac
catheterization lab in 2000 primarily
for diagnostic services and recently
enhanced its capabilities to include interventional
procedures. The development of
this program is a result of the successful
integration of talented healthcare professionals,
in affiliation with Penn State Heart
and Vascular Institute and in collaboration
with Centre Medical and Surgical
Dr. Richard P. Konstance II
Dr. Albert R. Zoda
Associates.
Zoda became credentialed to perform
cardiac procedures at Mount Nittany
Medical Center in 2000 and has been a key
contributor to the success of the PCI program.
Previously, he worked as a cardiologist
at Heart Associates in Baltimore, MD.
He completed his undergraduate degree at
Penn State University, graduate degree at
Villanova University, and medical school at
Hahnemann Medical College. Zoda has
been a fellow of the American College of
Cardiology for more than 17 years and
taught for more than 23 years.
Konstance recently became credentialed
at the Medical Center and will join Zoda in
performing cardiac procedures. He completed
his medical degree at Duke
University after successful completion
of undergraduate schooling
at Penn State University.
Konstance’s post-graduate medical
training includes internal
medicine, cardiovascular disease
and interventional cardiology
from Duke University. In 2006,
Konstance received the prestigious
Boston Scientific Interventional
Cardiology Fellowship
Award and the Warren S. and
Gloria R. Newman Fellowship in
Cardiology.
Zoda and Konstance, along
with the cardiac cath lab staff, now
perform the life-saving PCI procedure
to unblock the clogged arteries
causing a heart attack. The Medical
Center’s interventional cardiac catheterization
service was introduced in June thanks
to advanced physician and staff training by
Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical
Center. Previously, heart attack patients had
to be transported to another facility.
This new service significantly reduces
door-to-balloon time, the period of time
between t he patient’s arrival at the Medical
Center and when the patient receives emergency
interventional procedures. Paramedics,
emergency department staff, cardiologists
and cardiac catheterization lab staff
also must work quickly and cohesively to
reduce the chance of a heart attack patient
becoming a heart attack victim.
16 December 23, 2007 hospitalnews.org Hospital News

Jameson Surpasses in Quality Measures.
In a study released by the Hospital
Quality Alliance (HQA), Jameson
Memorial Hospital surpassed the average
Pennsylvania and U.S. hospitals in selected
HQA Quality Measures. The data for the
study was collected from April 2005
through March 2006 and was voluntarily
submitted from hospitals for public reporting.
The clinical measures reported focused
on heart attack, heart failure, and pneumonia
and the rates were calculated based
upon hospital discharges.
Jameson Hospital Receives
CME Accreditation
The Pennsylvania Medical Society’s
Commission on Continuing Medical
Education awarded a 3-year accreditation
to the hospital to sponsor CME’s for physicians
and other allied health professionals.
Jameson Health System Adopts
Smoke-Free/Tobacco-Free Policy
July, 2007, Jameson Health System
adopted a campus-wide Smoke Free/
Tobacco Free Policy. Patients, visitors,
employees, physicians, and anyone on the
Jameson campus are prohibited from smoking
or using tobacco products anywhere
inside or on the premises.
2007 Jameson Highlights
Jameson Hospital Receives ACR
Accreditation for MRI Units
Jameson Hospital has been awarded a
three-year term of accreditation for the
Open Bore magnetic resonance imaging
(MRI) and the closed MRI by the
American College of Radiology
Commendation from American
College of Surgeons Commission
on Cancer
Jameson Hospital received a Three-
Year Approval with Commendation following
the on-site evaluation by a
physician surveyor from the
Commission on Cancer (CoC) of the
American College of Surgeons. The
Center demonstrated a commendation
level of compliance in one or more standards
that include cancer committee
leadership, cancer data management,
clinical services, research, community
outreach, quality improvement, clinical
trial participation, and staging compliance.
Jameson Health System Receives
VHA Pennsylvania APEX Award
Jameson Hospital has been awarded
the VHA Pennsylvania APEX Award
(Achieving Patient Care Excellence) for
excellence in cardiac care by demonstrating
extraordinary levels of clinical
performance. A team was dedicated in
2003 to improve heart failure indicators
in conjunction with VHA. In December
2005, Jameson received a Certificate of
Excellence from VHA for successfully
attaining Green Light Status for all four
Congestive Heart Failure (CHF) Core
Measure Indicators. The newest award is
in recognition for efforts in achieving
Green Light Status for Heart Failure
Core Measure indictors for the third
quarter of 2006. Jameson Hospital is one
of 86 VHA member hospitals nationwide
to receive this new APEX award.
Jameson Diabetes Receives
Certificate of Recognition
The Jameson Diabetes Management
Program has been awarded continued
Recognition from the American
Diabetes Association for three years.
Jameson Hospital
Installs Cad System
Jameson Hospital acquired the
ImageChecker® Computer-Aided Detection
(CAD) system for use in breast
cancer screening to assist radiologists in
minimizing false negative readings during
mammograms. The ImageChecker
CAD system is currently used in conjunction
with film based and digital
mammography.
Jameson Hospital Recognized
as a Top-Ranked Community
Value Provider
Jameson Hospital was recently named
as a top-ranked Community Value
Provider by Cleverley & Associates, a
leading healthcare data firm specializing
in operational benchmarking and
performance enhancement strategies.
Hospitals such as Jameson, with scores
in the top twenty percent, are designated
as “Five-Star” facilities
Jameson Health System Receives
State-of-the-Art CT Technology
Jameson Hospital offers patients
advanced, state-of-the-art CT technology
with the Aquilion TM to capture precise
images with pristine clarity and
speed in as little as one breath hold.
Chest exams that once took 20-30 minutes
with standard CT scans can now be
performed in just 19 seconds, allowing
physicians to see internal injuries, cancer,
blood clots and disease faster and in
greater detail than before.
Another Year at the Forefront of Innovative Addiction Treatment
Gateway Rehab’s 2007 Highlights
Since opening in 1972, Gateway has,
and continues to be, on the vanguard
of efforts to find innovative ways to
help those who suffer from the disease of
addiction. Many of the practices pioneered
by Gateway have been adopted by other
providers across the United States.
Gateway was the first among the major
providers in the country to offer variable
lengths of stay for patients. Over the years,
Gateway staff – most notably founder and
medical director emeritus Dr. Abraham
Twerski – has been invited to speak to professional
organizations on new and
improved treatment techniques.
In 2007, Gateway initiated a number of
innovative programs. For quite some time,
Gateway has provided onsite services in the
Beaver County Jail, reaching inmates suffering
from dual-disorders, specifically
chemical dependency and mental healthrelated
issues. Noticing that many of the
men and women released from jail had no
money and no jobs or homes to which they
could return, Gateway initiated a partnership
with the Beaver County Housing
Authority and the Beaver County
Behavioral Health System to acquire a little-used
public housing facility in
Aliquippa, the Eleanor Roosevelt
Apartments, to offer temporary housing to
these individuals.
Studies show that recidivism rates for
people released from jail are reduced dramatically
when they have this type of support;
many sincerely seek to turn their lives
around. Response to this program exceeded
expectations: The Eleanor Roosevelt
Apartments are full and plans are under
way for a second such facility.
Services for youth have become a priority
over the past several years for Gateway and
its board of directors. The dramatic increase
in drug and alcohol use at an increasingly
younger age among adolescents, as well as
the consequences of these actions for family,
schools, and communities, have raised
Gateway’s concerns to the point that a capital
campaign has been launched to refurbish
its main campus facility and create a
Youth Services Center, which, among other
enhancements, will expand bed capacity
from 29 to 50.
In addition to expanding this unit,
Gateway recently opened Liberty Station, a
24-bed youth halfway house in South
Fayette Township for boys (ages 13-18)
recovering from substance addiction or
abuse. This is currently the only program in
the Commonwealth to offer halfway house
services to adolescents who have suffered
from alcohol and/or drug addiction.
Gateway also continues its efforts to
encourage teens to choose positive lifestyle
choices through the Rotary-Gateway Teen
Leadership Institute (RGTLI), a partnership
with Rotary International District 7300.
RGTLI offers qualified teenagers an opportunity
for a summer experience, where they
learn about the choices confronting them
and the value of teamwork, and are encouraged
to share what they learn with their
peers.
Gateway created a research department
with the goal not only of studying outcomes
of treatment programs, but to improve
Gateway’s performance while contributing
to the field in general. The research department
has partnered with IRETA (Institute
for Research, Education, and Training in
Addictions), as well as Indiana University of
Pennsylvania and the University of
Pittsburgh.
Moreover, Gateway continued to work
with businesses and their employees; in the
past year the Corporate Services Division
raised the number of businesses its EAP
(Employee Assistance Program) contracts
with to nearly 100.
Overall, 2007 was a time in which
Gateway responded to the growing needs of
the community from a number of angles –
youth, corrections patients, business –
while continuing to lead the field in innovative
approaches to treatment, prevention,
education, and research.
Est. 1982-2006
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Hospital News hospitalnews.org December 23, 2007 17

2007 A YEAR IN REVIEW
200
2007 Major Accomplishments
at Clearfield Hospital
Since 1901, Clearfield Hospital, a 96-
bed facility located in Clearfield
County, has been dedicated to meeting
the community’s healthcare needs.
Among the services currently offered
are emergency care, intensive care/telemetry
units combining critical and coronary
care, obstetrics, pediatrics, surgical services,
ambulatory care, cardiopulmonary,
cardiac rehabilitation, wound care, stereotactic
breast biopsy, home health and hospice,
radiation oncology, chemotherapy,
nuclear medicine, rehabilitative therapies,
sports medicine and social services.
Clearfield Hospital saw continued
growth in 2007 as several improvement
projects were completed, including:
• Obstetrics Unit Renovations. In spring
of 2007, Clearfield Hospital completed
renovations to its Obstetrics Unit. The
project involved the construction of four
labor, delivery, recovery and postpartum
suites, in which most mothers remain
throughout their stay; three private
patient rooms; new furniture and equipment;
and a hydro-massage whirlpool
room. The improvements were made to
enhance patient safety and comfort. The
newly renovated unit was named the
Armstrong Birthing Center in memory of
the late B. Ellen “Bert” Armstrong, a nurse
and unit manager who devoted 50 years to
Clearfield Hospital obstetrics.
• Bright Horizons Inpatient Unit. In
June 2007, Clearfield Hospital opened a
10-bed inpatient unit that provides psychiatric
care to older adults, ages 55 and
over, who need immediate care in a
secure, therapeutic setting. The medical
staff cares for patients who are experiencing
emotional health conditions such as
severe depression, suicidal thoughts,
extreme mood swings, excessive anxiety
and behavioral health issues due to medication
interactions, among others.
• Emergency Department Expansion. In
November, the hospital completed a renovation
project that involved converting
former staff offices located near the hospital’s
registration waiting room into a fivebed
emergency setting. This expansion
complements the hospital’s existing emergency
department. Patients presenting
with minor illnesses and injuries are treated
in the new section. The goal is to
address the growing emergency care needs
of the community and
decrease waiting times.
• Expansion of outpatient
services in neighboring
community.
Clearfield Hospital
expanded services in
neighboring Philipsburg
by opening Philipsburg
Outpatient Services. The
office is located in the
hospital’s medical services
facility in the Peebles Plaza.
The staff provides general X-rays,
electrocardiograms, blood draws and
specimen collections for laboratory
orders.
Also in 2007, Clearfield Hospital
expanded its efforts to improve quality
as it joined the 5 Million Lives
Campaign, an initiative of the
Institute for Healthcare
Improvement. As part of the campaign,
the hospital has pledged to
improve procedures to: prevent
Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus
Aureus; reduce harm from high-alert
medications starting with a focus on
anticoagulants, sedatives, narcotics,
and insulin; and prevent pressure
ulcers.
One of the new labor, delivery, recovery and postpartum suites.
Diane Alexander, registered technologist and POS
supervisor, performs an X-ray on Hunter Galley of
Lanse at the new Philipsburg Outpatient Services.
More and More Pennsylvania
Hospitals Embracing
Smoke-free Campuses
More Pennsylvania hospitals are taking a leadership role in promoting patient,
employee, and community health by instituting smoke-free campuses. A
recent survey of acute care hospitals by The Hospital & Healthsystem
Association of Pennsylvania (HAP) shows that 52 hospitals have already implemented
totally smoke-free campuses. In the survey, HAP defined a smoke-free campus as a)
prohibiting smoking on all hospital property (owned and leased, indoors and outdoors);
and b) having no designated smoking areas on campus. According to the HAP
survey, another 16 hospitals have plans to implement smoke-free campuses by the end
of next year. In addition, many hospitals have already implemented, or are considering,
partially smoke-free campuses.
“As keystones of health in communities across Pennsylvania, we believe that it is
important to set an example for our patients, neighbors, and employees,” said Carolyn
F. Scanlan, president and CEO of HAP. “While the decision to adopt a campus-wide,
tobacco-free environment is a local, individual decision to be made by each hospital,
HAP encourages and supports hospitals’ efforts to reduce tobacco use.”
Scanlan noted that all Pennsylvania hospital buildings are already smoke-free, and
that expansion of smoke-free environments to entire campuses is a growing trend. She
added that there are many benefits that flow from the adoption of smoke-free campuses,
including reduced absenteeism, more productive staff, reduced staff health care
costs, greater-than-expected numbers of employees quitting smoking, and cleaner campuses.
Many hospitals have implemented their smoke-free policies concurrent with free
or reduced-cost smoking cessation programs for their patients and staff.
“To further support this effort, I am pleased to note that, as of November 1, HAP’s
Harrisburg headquarters is smoke-free,” Scanlan said.
Earlier this year, HAP began providing information and resources from across the
nation to help hospitals in their efforts in adopting and implementing smoke-free environments.
Consumers are encouraged to visit their local hospital website for additional
smoking-cessation resources.
18 December 23, 2007 hospitalnews.org Hospital News

Allegheny General Hospital
Performs First Liver Transplant
A28 year-old Robinson Township woman has become the first patient to
undergo liver transplantation surgery at Allegheny General Hospital
(AGH). AGH officials said the surgery, which took place on November 1,
represents a milestone locally in the field of organ transplantation, providing end
stage liver disease patients with a vital, new choice for surgical care.
“This program is a critical new resource for liver transplantation candidates in
western Pennsylvania and the tri-state region, particularly those who have traditionally
been referred out of state for surgery due to lack of access to a local transplant
center. Though recently established, it affords patients access to a surgical
team whose skill and experience rivals most in the nation,” said Mark Roh, M.D.,
chairman of AGH’s Department of Surgery.
Christine Berman was admitted to AGH on October 28 suffering from a sudden
onset of acute liver disease called fulminant hepatic failure. An often rapidly
fatal condition, she was immediately placed on the transplant list as a status
1A candidate and underwent liver transplantation surgery three days later.
The surgery was performed by Thomas V. Cacciarelli, M.D., director of Liver
Transplantation at AGH, and Dr. Roh.
After the six-hour operation and a week in AGH’s surgical intensive care unit,
Berman’s new liver is functioning perfectly well, Dr. Cacciarelli said.
The mother of three young children, Berman said she and her family are most
grateful for the care she received at AGH and for the availability of the donor
organ that saved her life.
“I am alive today because of this hospital, because of these wonderful doctors
and nurses and everyone else involved in the transplant program, and most
importantly, because of the gift of life that was bestowed to me from an organ
donor and their family. My children still have a mother because of all of these
special people,” Berman said.
COVER STORY: Human Resources:
A Retrospective On 2007
Catholic Health East Selects Excela
Health as a Solution for Mercy
Jeannette Hospital
Excela Health, Catholic Health East (CHE), and the Sisters of Charity of Seton
Hill, recently announced plans for the purchase of Mercy Jeannette Hospital by
Excela Health.
With the signing of an asset purchase agreement, the parties take the first step in an
approximately six-month approval process that will result in Excela Health’s ownership
and management of the Jeannette facility.
This announcement follows discussions involving the boards and leadership of
Catholic Health East, the Pittsburgh Mercy Health System (PMHS), and the Sisters of
Charity of Seton Hill, who sponsor Mercy Jeannette Hospital; together, they determined
the need for a new strategic partner and direction for the hospital.
“Excela Health will be a strong partner and the best way to preserve this valuable
health care provider for the local community,” said Julie Hester, administrator of
Mercy Jeannette Hospital. “Excela Health has been successful in stabilizing other community
hospitals in the region that have faced challenges similar to those of Mercy
Jeannette.”
Since its inception in 2004, Excela Health has successfully stabilized three community
hospitals – Westmoreland, Latrobe and Frick – by bringing them together as an
advanced, multi-hospital health care system. Mercy Jeannette Hospital, a Joint
Commission accredited 148-bed hospital, today faces significant financial challenges
with a projected $6.5 million loss from operations in 2007.
Mercy Jeannette Hospital can no longer sustain its current operational model due to
its current inability to fund capital requirements and operational needs. The organization
has recognized that, with or without Excela Health, Mercy Jeannette Hospital
would need to contemplate proactive restructuring to its current operations.
As a part of the agreement, Mercy Jeannette Hospital will become a campus of
Excela Health Westmoreland Hospital when the transfer of ownership is complete. To
reflect the changes, the hospital will be renamed Excela Health Westmoreland
Hospital at Jeannette.
To strengthen the quality of care offered in the Jeannette community and provide
much needed capital for facility and equipment enhancements, Excela Health will
invest approximately $10 million in capital over the next five years.
Continued from page 1
who were union members fell from 15.7
million in 2005 to 15.4 million in 2006.
That represented 12% of all wage and
salary workers compared to 12.5% in
2005. By occupation, the proportion of
unionized healthcare practitioners and
technicians dropped to 12.5% in 2006
compared to 12.7% in 2005 while the
proportion of unionized healthcare support
personnel increased from 9.6% in
2005 to 10.4% in 2006. Overall, 7.4% of
all private industry workers belonged to
unions in 2006 compared to 7.8% in
2005.
On the employee benefits front, according
to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s
2006 Employee Benefits Study, benefits
costs accounted, on average, for more
than 44% of payroll, an increase of 4%
from the prior year. Medically related
expenses accounted for 14.5% of payroll,
up from 11.9%. Payments for time not
worked (holidays, vacations and other
paid time off) increased to 11.1% of payroll.
Retirement expenditures also
increased slightly, to 8.6% of payroll. The
study included data from nearly 400 U.S.
companies and more than 30 benefits.
Speaking of employee benefits,
between 2006 and 2007, health insurance
premiums for employer-sponsored plans
increased on average by 6.1%, less than
the 7.7% average increase during the
prior year. This was the fourth consecutive
year that the rate of increase in premiums
for employer-sponsored plans has
slowed, and the lowest annual growth
rate since 1999 according to the annual
Kaiser Family Foundation and Health
Research and Education Trust annual survey.
The average annual total premium
cost was $4,479 for single coverage and
$12,106 for family coverage. The average
annual employee contribution was $694
for single coverage and $3,281 for family
coverage.
Legislatively, in May, President Bush
signed legislation that increased the federal
minimum wage to $5.85 per hour
effective July 24, 2007, to $6.55 effective
July 24, 2008, and to $7.25 per hour
effective July 24, 2009. At the state level,
in July, Governor Rendell signed five bills
affecting the practice of physician assistants,
nurse practitioners, clinical nurse
specialists and nurse midwives. HB 1251
and HB 1252 enabled physicians to
supervise up to four physician assistants.
Previously the limit was two. HB 1253
expanded the scope of practice of
Certified Registered Nurse Practitioners.
HB 1254 defined the scope of practice,
education and related requirements for
clinical nurse specialists. And HB 1255
extended to nurse midwives limited prescription
writing privileges. The legislation
went into effect in September.
As they say in Hollywood, “that’s a
wrap”. And as we head into 2008, please
accept best wishes for a joyous holiday
and a prosperous New Year.
Marc Cammarata is President of M.A.
Cammarata & Associates, a consulting firm
providing human resources and operations
management solutions to healthcare organizations.
If you would like more information
on this or other Human Resources topics,
you can contact him at (412) 364-0444,
macammarata@verizon.net, or
www.macammarata.com.
Hospital News hospitalnews.org December 23, 2007 19

2007 A YEAR IN REVIEW
200
The editors of Harvard Medical School’s Harvard
Health Letter have chosen the top 10 health
stories of 2007. Here are this year’s newsmakers:
1
Drug safety failures. This year, rosiglitazone
(Avandia), a diabetes drug, became the latest
medication found to have serious side effects
that weren’t apparent when it was approved
by the FDA. The FDA needs more money
and resources to conduct studies of drugs after they’ve
been approved for sale – and then the clout to take prompt
action if safety problems are identified.
Genome-wide association studies. These
studies take advantage of unique “flags” flying
in each “neighborhood” of the vast
genome. Researchers find the flags associated
with disease and then conduct an
intensive search for genetic miscues just in that
neighborhood. This process is a lot more efficient than a
dragnet through the entire genome. This year, genomewide
association studies have identified genes associated
with type 2 diabetes, multiple sclerosis, and resistance to
HIV infection, to name a few examples.
2
3
Genome sequencing in a jiffy – and cheap.
Sequencing a genome – identifying all the
chemical base pairs of someone’s genes – is
getting a lot faster and cheaper. Scientists
can now shatter the DNA of the genome
into millions of pieces and simultaneously sequence
the letters. Then, computers knit the data into a single
sequence. Within a decade, the price of sequencing a
genome may drop to $1,000, say some experts. Cheap
genome sequencing may soon usher in a new era of personalized
medicine, with health advice and medical treatments
tailored to each individual’s genes.
The Top 10 Health Stories of 2007,
From the Editors of the Harvard Health Letter
Waking up to a new health habit: Sleep.
The evidence has reached critical mass –
getting between seven and nine hours of
sleep a night is one of the pillars of good
health, along with physical activity and
eating a healthful diet. Poor sleep has been linked to
health problems ranging from diabetes to heart disease to
obesity.
4
5
Health is going global. The trend toward
globalization that has affected so many
aspects of the American economy is now
changing American medicine. Hospitals
are creating global health residency programs.
Philanthropic organizations like the Bill and
Melinda Gates Foundation are pouring billions into
efforts to combat disease on a global scale. This worldwide
outlook comes from more than just altruism—
AIDS, avian flu, and severe acute respiratory syndrome
(SARS) have shown that many health problems have little
respect for borders.
Cooling off inflammation. TNF-alpha
blockers, drugs that interfere with a protein
that contributes to inflammation, have
given doctors and patients an important
new treatment choice for conditions like
rheumatoid arthritis. Daunting price tags and
serious side effects make the TNF-alpha blockers less
than ideal, but by tackling inflammation at its roots, they
may light the way for a new approach to treating many
diseases with an inflammatory component—even
Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s.
6
7
Covering the uninsured. With health care
costs continuing to increase and employers
cutting back on coverage, lawmakers are
filling in the gaps. Illinois has created the
All Kids program to cover children.
Massachusetts law mandates that everyone in the
state must purchase health insurance, and other states
may follow suit. The Medicare Part D program, despite its
flaws, has succeeded in extending prescription drug coverage
to seniors. Time will tell whether these incremental
steps will replace or merely delay more sweeping reform of
a system that leaves 47 million Americans without insurance.
Tying reimbursement to quality health care.
Momentum is building for an array of incentives
for doctors and hospitals to provide
higher-quality medical care. Medicare this
year started paying doctors a bonus for
reporting certain quality measures, and its experiment
to pay hospitals performance bonuses is a success, according
to most experts. Some health plans are using quality-ofcare
disincentives by refusing to pay for care related to complications
from certain types of medical errors. And some
providers are instituting rigorous quality-of-care programs
on their own – and agreeing not to charge for care related
to certain surgical complications. Many details have yet to
be worked out, but this approach could both improve
health outcomes and reduce costs.
8
A better mammogram Two studies this year
found that magnetic resonance imaging
(MRI) scans are better than other techniques
at identifying breast cancers in high-risk
women. The American Cancer Society
revised its screening recommendations to say that
women at high risk for breast cancer should get a breast
MRI every year, in addition to a regular mammogram.
9
Peeking into the brain for disease clues.
New imaging technologies are letting
researchers “see” inside the brain and watch
its inner workings. The hope is these tests
will mean more certain diagnoses for
many conditions and, eventually, better
treatments.
10
Patient Care Awards and New Diagnostic &
Imaging Center Highlight 2007 for Sharon Regional
Awards for clinical quality and patient safety and
the opening of a new Diagnostic & Imaging
Center in Hermitage highlighted a busy 2007 for
Sharon Regional.
One of the Health System’s most significant accomplishments
was the advance made in clinical quality
and patient safety. When it comes to emergency heart
attack treatment, Sharon Regional consistently met or
exceeded the national CMS benchmark of 90 minutes
or less for “door to balloon time”.
Sharon Regional received the VHA Leadership Award
for Clinical Excellence for achieving exceptionally high
levels of performance in controlling and preventing
blood stream infections and ventilator associated pneumonia
cases. The Health System also received six APEX
(Achieving Patient Care Excellence) Awards from VHA
for demonstrating extraordinary levels of clinical performance
and for its achievements through the VHA
Intensive-Coronary Care Improvement Collaborative.
Sharon Regional also received a 2007 Distinguished
Hospital Award for Clinical Patient Safety by
HealthGrades, Inc.
The 30,000 sq. ft. Diagnostic & Imaging Center Way,
replaced Hermitage HealthPLACE, Highland Road.
The Center is also home to Sharon Regional’s
expanded Breast Care Center, designed under the guidance
of William Poller, M.D., breast imaging specialist
and director of breast imaging for Allegheny Radiology
Associates.
Other accomplishments were:
• Sharon Regional’s Physician Development Plan
experienced great success in bringing in more than
25 new physicians to the Health System.
• New Therapeutic Pool, a 1,900 square foot addition
to its RehabCenter.
• New Sleep Medicine Program expanded and moved
into a new location.
• The arrival of Allegheny Radiology Associates as the
new exclusive provider of advanced imaging services.
• The Heart Institute achieving quality standards
above and beyond national standards established by
the Society of Thoracic Surgeons and American
College of Cardiology.
• The addition of mobile PET/CT services at the
Cancer Care Center in Hermitage.
• The introduction of a new dining program known
as “At Your Request” that allows inpatients with no
dietary restrictions to select their meal options in
the same manner that would be offered through
room service at a fine hotel.
• The approval of a proposal to make Sharon
Regional’s main campus in Sharon and all satellite
locations smoke-free and tobacco-free.
• Receiving a 2007 Phoenix Award from the
Shenango Valley Chamber of Commerce for growth
in the large service segment.
• Receiving the United Way of Mercer County’s
“Campaign Chair Award” for significantly increasing
the level of employee contributions to the annual
United Way Campaign
• Recognition by the Pittsburgh Business Times as
one of the top ten hospitals in Western
Pennsylvania based on net patient revenue
20 December 23, 2007 hospitalnews.org Hospital News

Saint Vincent Health Center patients
get well faster and stay healthier as a
result of the hospital’s quality patient
care initiatives. And more than 30 hospitals
from throughout the country will benefit
by learning how Saint Vincent accomplished
this goal, earning and sustaining
some of highest rankings in the country in
a national project designed to improve the
quality of patient care.
Saint Vincent has been selected by the
Premier Inc. healthcare alliance to host
the one-day open house to demonstrate to
other hospitals how the Erie,
Pennsylvania hospital consistently
achieved top rankings in the project’s first,
second and third year.
The project, titled the Premier, Centers
for Medicare and Medicaid Services
(CMS) Hospital Quality Incentive
Demonstration (HQID) pay-for-performance
(P4P) project, provides participating
hospitals with awards based on the
levels of quality patient care they provide.
In the first and second years, Saint
Vincent ranked among the top hospitals
nationwide for clinical quality excellence
in the areas of pneumonia, coronary artery
bypass graft (CABG), acute myocardial
infarction, heart failure and hip and knee
replacement. Saint Vincent received the
fifth highest reimbursement award of any
hospital in the project in the first year in
the clinical area of CABG and the 10th
highest reimbursement in the second year
of the project in the clinical area of pneumonia.
Projections for the third year indicate
performance in the top two deciles in
all five clinical areas
Saint Vincent has received over
$280,000 in quality-based rewards, more
than any of the 10 Pennsylvania hospitals
participating in the project. CMS has
awarded incentive payments of more
than $17 million to top-performing hospitals,
representing the top 20 percent of
hospitals in each of the project’s five clinical
areas, through the first two years of
the project.
Improvements in quality of care saved
the lives of an estimated 1,284 heart
attack patients, according to an analysis of
mortality rates at hospitals participating in
the HQID project. Patients also received
approximately 150,000 additional recommended
evidence-based clinical quality
Saint Vincent Health Center Showcases Commitment,
Processes Leading to High Quality Patient Care
(l-r) Roger Jones from Premier and Saint Vincent Executive Vice
President, Dr. Joseph Cacchione
measures, such as smoking cessation
counseling, discharge instructions and
pneumococcal vaccination.
“What this means for our patients is
that they are assured of receiving the
highest levels of care in the nation, that
they will be well sooner, which can end
up ultimately costing less, said C. Angela
Bontempo, FACHE, Saint Vincent president
and CEO. “For Saint Vincent, the
primary focus is and always has been providing
the best possible care to our
patients. That was the mandate set forth
by the Sisters of Saint Joseph when Saint
Vincent was founded more than 132 years
ago, and it is the reason we were among
the first hospitals in the country to in
1999 implement the evidence-based practices
being utilized today in the Premier
project.”
According to Saint Vincent executive
vice president Joseph Cacchione, M.D.,
FACC, “The national benchmarks in the
Premier project have pushed us even further
in our efforts toward quality
improvement. “I’m proud to say this
accomplishment comes from the very top
down – from our board to our doctors,
nurses and staff. Each of them has been
empowered, and that is the reason Saint
Vincent has been able to consistently perform
among the top one or two hospitals
in the country.”
Master Plan for Mount Nittany Medical
Center Provides Green Light for Future Growth
Mount Nittany Medical Center recently announced the completion of its Master
Plan for Mount Nittany Medical Center in cooperation with The Pennsylvania
State University.
This land capacity study was undertaken to ensure that the Medical Center’s existing
29 acre site could accommodate reasonable and flexible expansion over the next 30 to
40 years. The Master Plan also outlines the total building capacity for a 183 acre tract
of land comprised of the Medical Center’s existing site and an adjacent 154 acres owned
by Penn State University.
Capacity totals for the 183 acre tract would accommodate an additional 727,941
square feet of building space including as many as four additional buildings, a parking
garage and significant expansions of the main hospital building including the addition
of a south and west tower. The plan also outlines 122 acres of land preserved for natural
agrarian landscape.
“Our primary goal was to determine if this current location is able to accommodate
for future growth and expansion, while at the same time being responsible to the environment
around us,” said Thomas J. Murray, President and CEO. “This plan indicates
this tract of land could allow the Medical Center to nearly double in size during the first
half of this century.”
Other key factors in achieving top levels
of quality, according to Cacchione,
include physician engagement in all quality
processes, quality information flow
and decision support and post-discharge
follow up. Unique clinical processes were
also important to the effort, including the
use of tablet PCs by case managers at the
patient bedside to ensure 100 percent
adherence to the use of best practices.
In addition, Cacchione noted that Saint
Vincent has voluntary participated in 18
different quality registries.
“This helps to push us to always try to
Roger Jones, Premier; Lezlie Davis, Clinical Systems Coordinator from
Baptist St. Anthony’s Health System in Amarillo, TX; Darla Caldwell,
RN, Director of Patient Safety from Baptist; and Saint Vincent
president and CEO C. Angela Bontempo, FACHE
be number one in quality,” he said. “In
addition to the five very important key
practices being studied in the
CMS/Premier project, Saint Vincent has
10 other active evidence-based practices
we have implemented.”
In addition to consistently ranking
among the top few hospitals nationwide
in the CMS/Premier project, Saint Vincent
has been ranked as the number one
healthcare organization in Pennsylvania
by Health Insights in delivery of evidencebased
care for heart attack, heart failure
and community-acquired pneumonia.
Hospital News hospitalnews.org December 23, 2007 21

2007 A YEAR IN REVIEW
200
Pictured left to right with Roger P. Winn, President, UPMC Bedford Memorial, are Sylvia
Page, Rodney Clark, and Carol Hershberger.
UPMC Bedford Memorial Announces
ACES Awardees for 2007
UPMC Bedford Memorial is pleased to announce three exceptional staff members as
2007 ACES winners.
Sylvia Page has been with UPMC Bedford Memorial for 25 years. She is a Respiratory
Therapist II in the Cardio-Pulmonary Department. Her nominator cited “Sylvia came
to UPMC Bedford after completing OJT at Altoona General Hospital and completed
her A.S. and B.S. degrees while working fulltime. She has obtained both her CRT and
RRT credential from the NBRC and is licensed by the state of PA. She has served on
several hospital committees and is a member of our DECON team. Sylvia always puts
our patients first and on many occasions went above and beyond by making patients’
beds and changing gowns that had become wet or soiled instead of having patients
wait for nursing. She is always willing to help out in other department functions not
just Respiratory Care.”
Rodney Clark has been with UPMC Bedford Memorial for 14 years. He is a
Radiologic Technologist in the Medical Imaging Department. His nominator cited
“Rod always goes ‘Above and Beyond’ to assist co - workers, and students. He is very
knowledgeable about department issues and policies/procedures, and always assumes
leadership when called upon while keeping a great attitude when doing so. He knows
what to do and say to boost morale on a daily basis. He holds a certification for CT,
and is a Clinical Instructor for Mount Aloysius Community College (Rad-Tech
Students).”
Carol Hershberger has been with UPMC Bedford Memorial for 26 years. She is a
Secretary in the Nursing Administration Office. Her nominator cited “Carol has been
a long term, dedicated employee and started her employment in the Business Office
then transferred to the Patient Service Office. She has served under five Vice Presidents
of Patient Services. She has worked on many projects within the Patient Services office
and helped to make Nurses Week and Day special for many staff members by planning
the menus, decorations, gathering prizes and financial support. Carol has graciously
volunteered to serve on the annual Patient Safety Fair Committee and chaired a NPSG
team/booth each year.”
John W. Schlirf Honored with
“Spirit of Giving” Award
Redstone Highlands presented its 2007 Spirit of
Giving Award to John W. Schlirf (Jack) during its Fifth
Annual Spirit of Giving Gala.
As a longstanding member of the Redstone
Presbyterian SeniorCare Board of Directors, Jack Schlirf
provided leadership and governance to Redstone
Highlands for more than 13 years and in 2007 assumed
the role of Director Emeritus.
A mechanical engineer by trade, Jack Schlirf was employed for 35 years at Elliott
Company in Jeanette, PA., serving as vice president prior to his retirement in 1987. Over
the years, he has been an active community member in Westmoreland County, formerly
serving on the Board of Directors of both the Westmoreland Community Concerts,
Inc., and Greensburg Country Club. He remains a member of the Service Corp of Retired
Executives (SCORE), an organization that helps small businesses succeed by providing
mentors and business counseling.
Jack served in the U.S. Navy during WW II and earned a B.S. in Marine Engineering
at the United States Merchant Marine Academy. He later graduated with high honors
from North Carolina State University with a Bachelor in Mechanical Engineering.
(l-r) Dr. Kenneth S.
Ramsey, Gateway
president and CEO;
Dr. Abraham J. Twerski,
Gateway founder and
medical director
emeritus; and
James C. Rogal,
Gateway board of
directors chairperson.
Gateway Rehab Elects New Officers
to its Board of Directors
Gateway Rehabilitation Center recently elected new officers to its board of directors
at its annual meeting.
James C. Rogal, president of Century Communications was elected chair; Richard C.
Grace of Grace Consulting was elected vice chair; Kevin P. Boland, CPA, executive vice
president of Donnelly-Boland and Associates, was re-elected treasurer; and Paul
Sweeney, president of Tri County Management, was elected secretary.
Robert E. Carter, CFRE, Gateway Rehab’s immediate past chair was honored at the
meeting for his many years of service on Gateway’s board of directors. In appreciation of
his dedicated work, Gateway presented Carter with a commemorative crystal award.
Carter recently retired as president of Ketchum. He is currently the vice chair of
Archimede Philanthropy Partners.
HealthSouth Hospital of Pittsburgh Celebrates 20th Anniversary
HealthSouth Hospital of Pittsburgh celebrated its twentieth anniversary during the month of November. “Over the last twenty years our mission has changed from that of
an inpatient rehabilitation hospital to an extended-stay acute care hospital serving patients who require a hospital level of care for an extended period of time. While our
mission has evolved, our commitment to providing high quality patient care has not wavered. The fact that we have been serving the community for twenty years and
continue to grow and enhance our services is a testimony to the high quality care our doctors and employees provide,” says Cindy Eiseman hospital CEO. “Our top priority is
excellent patient care, and our professional staff treats patients based on their individualized needs.”
Extended-stay acute care hospitals – also called long-term acute care hospitals or LTACs – provide a hospital level of care to patients with acute and serious chronic conditions
that cannot be adequately treated in the skilled nursing setting. Patients in the LTAC setting require significant daily nursing care, daily supervision by a physician and frequently
the services of other disciplines such as respiratory therapy, wound care specialists, clinical dieticians, physical, occupational and speech therapists. “We treat patients
with complex medical problems that require the input of an entire team of clinicians. Many of our patients are weaning from ventilators or have recently weaned and require
frequent respiratory treatments to improve their pulmonary function. Other patients require telemetry monitoring and still others are receiving intensive wound care services to
address serious non-healing wounds” stated Mrs. Eiseman. “We also have one of the only inpatient lymphedema management programs in the country, treating the most significantly
impaired patients with this diagnosis.”
22 December 23, 2007 hospitalnews.org Hospital News

2007: The Year of Transition
It is, once again, that time of year when we
prepare to celebrate the holidays with family
and friends, take stock of our personal
and professional lives, and resolve to make
changes in the New Year. From a business
standpoint, this is the time for many of us to
evaluate the performance of the past year and
plan and budget for the one that’s about to
begin …
All of us in healthcare are no doubt reflecting
on a year that has brought such sweeping
changes that many people have yet to fully
realize the total impact. 2007 will perhaps be
remembered as the most volatile year in our
industry since the introduction of the
Inpatient Prospective Payment System in the
early 1980s … and 2008 promises to be just as
challenging!
We all heard the grumblings from governmental
and other officials warning of the
switch from a charge-based to a cost-based BY JAMES BURNS
reimbursement system. We had escaped
attempts in recent years to institute those changes, though little prepared us for this
year’s radical change that even affected the DRG numbering system. Hospitals that cannot
provide care for sicker, more acute patients are now faced with significant reimbursement
decreases, and with that, added pressure to recruit and retain specialty
physicians and staff that would enable them to provide a higher level of care.
On the physician side, not only did the Physician Fee For Service schedule show an
overall decrease in reimbursements of over 8%, many of the other modalities that physicians
use to augment their income have been stripped-down or completely eliminated.
This, coupled with drastic changes to the Stark Laws, significantly changed the landscape
of physician investments in hospital or other partnerships, and has limited the
tools available to hospital leadership to align with physicians and keep them engaged
in their facilities.
As of this writing, we are still waiting to understand the final impact that all of these
changes will have upon our healthcare system. There are even attempts to further limit
specialty hospital development, which may or may not be enacted by the end of the
year.
Beyond the payor and governmental changes, 2007 also brought an abrupt interruption
to what can only be described as the “days of wine and roses” for angioplasty and
invasive cardiology. Study data released at the 2007 Annual American College of
Cardiology conference questioned many long-standing beliefs about angioplasty vs.
thrombolytics for the treatment of acute myocardial infarctions. Many programs immediately
experienced dramatic decreases in interventional procedure volumes that have
just begun to correct themselves.
Furthermore, recent recalls and device-integrity issues have impacted major vendors
during the latter part of this year. As evidenced by previous recalls, these types of events
can shatter consumer confidence in even the most robust and esteemed programs.
At this point, we have no choice but to weather the storm … “this too shall pass.”
At Corazon, we continually work with our consulting and recruitment clients across
the country to help them prepare for what lies ahead, specifically in the cardiovascular
specialty. Indeed, we believe the best way to be positioned for the future is to understand
the current landscape, and anticipate the changes and challenges that will
emerge.
Our best advice is to always be informed. In this information age, there really is no
excuse for not being “in the know” about changes in our industry. We offer multiple
newswires and publications, educational and conference events, and other means to
keep you abreast of what is planned and what has been enacted in our industry.
Proactively developing strategies and solutions for your hospital or specialty program
will help you set the stage for success in 2008 and beyond.
If 2008 is as tumultuous as 2007 (and we believe it will be!), especially in terms of
hospital/physician payments and rule changes, Corazon is poised and ready to assist
you with facing these challenges and maintaining cardiovascular program viability in
our dynamic and ever-changing industry. Happy Holidays from our team to yours, and
Best Wishes for the Year Ahead!
James Burns is a Vice President with Corazon, a national leader in specialized consulting
and recruitment services for cardiovascular program development. For more information, call
(412) 364-8200 or visit www.corazoninc.com.
Publish Your News
in Hospital News!
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or healthcare news to hdkart@aol.com
Hospital News hospitalnews.org December 23, 2007 23

Wishing you and yours the very best this holiday season.
At Amerinet, we extend our wish for healthy, and joyous holidays. We look forward to the new
the opportunity to serve health care providers nationwide with cost-effective solutions that en
the delivery of high quality patient care.
24 December 23, 2007 hospitalnews.org Hospital News